EtymologyPeg is a short form of Peggy, itself a medieval variant of Meggy, a diminutive of Margaret. The phonetic shift from Meggy to Peggy is unexplained but follows a pattern of altered initial consonants in English nicknames (e.g., from Margaret also come Madge and Maggie). As a clipping of Peggy, Peg emerged as an independent given name by the 17th century in England.Cultural and Historical ContextMargaret, from which Peg ultimately derives, originates from Latin Margarita and Greek μαργαρίτης, meaning "pearl" — itself likely borrowed from an Indo-Iranian language. Saint Margaret of Antioch, a 4th-century martyr and patron of expectant mothers, popularized the name in medieval Europe, and Margaret has been continuously used in England since the Middle Ages, topping the charts for girls in the 1920s–1940s.Notable BearersPeg Entwistle (1908–1932), British stage and screen actress.Peg Bracken (1918–2007), American author known for the cookbook The I Hate to Cook Book.In literature, the name appears informally as a variant.Distribution and VariantsPeg is nearly exclusive to English-speaking countries, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom, where it saw moderate popularity through the early 20th century. Related English diminutives include Mae, Mamie, Marge, and Margie.Meaning: Pearl (via Margaret)Origin: English, diminutive of MargaretType: Given name, diminutiveUsage Regions: United Kingdom, United States, Canada