Meaning & History
Mairéad is an Irish feminine given name, rendering the name Margaret through Gaelic phonology and orthography. As the Irish form of Margaret, it follows a pattern common to languages that adapted the name via Latin Margarita and Greek μαργαρίτης (margarítēs), meaning “pearl.” The Greek word itself was likely borrowed from an Indo-Iranian source.
Named after Saint Margaret of Antioch, a 4th-century Christian martyr, the name spread due to her reputation as patron of expectant mothers and the legend of her escape from a dragon. In Ireland, where devotion to female saints was strong, Mairéad and related forms like Maighréad or Máiréad have long been favored. The counterpart in Scottish Gaelic is spelled Mairead or Maighread, demonstrating the shared Goidelic linguistic heritage.
While M mainéaf
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Mairead