# how and when did Margaret become peggy **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [December 30, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826 "2010-12-30T14:45:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bubba51](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5f8ce5/32.png) [@bubba51](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bubba51)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/1 "2010-12-30T14:45:58Z")
I have read the how of why Margaret became Peggy but find it lacking. Can someone please tell me in terms I can really understand ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/2 "2010-12-30T14:56:56Z")
[Link](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/764/why-is-peggy-the-nickname-for-margaret) to 1993 article. The short version: “Meg” is a diminutive form of “Margaret”. “Peg” at some point was fashionable rhyming slang for “Meg”, and from there it evolved to the cuter “Peggy”. Don’t get me started on “John” and “Jack” though… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/3 "2010-12-30T15:24:28Z")
[moderating] Thread moved from General Questions to Comments on Cecil’s Columns. Thanks for providing the link, **Gyrate**. [/moderating] ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/4 "2010-12-30T15:42:06Z")
This is pretty simple. At one time, it became common in Anglo-Saxon/English culture to create diminutives of names. It’s not entirely clear why. One might be because a lot of people were sharing the same names and needed ways to distinguish each other. Another reason might be that after the Norman Conquest, English people started using names in “foreign” Norman forms and started creating diminutives just to feel more comfortable with their names. One common way of creating diminutives was by changing the initial sound of a name (as well as sometimes the final sound). Robert - Rob, Bob, Dob, Hob, Nob Rodger - Rodge, Hodge Richard - Rich, Rick, Dick Similarly, Margaret - Marge, Mag, Meg, Peg > [@](#): > > Don’t get me started on “John” and “Jack” though… It’s not that hard. This one is based on another way of creating diminutives - with the suffix “-kin.” John - Johnkin - Jenkin - Jankin - Jackin - Jack “Hank” also is a diminutive of John through a similar process - although today we think of “Hank” more as a diminutive of “Henry,” which is through another route of diminutivization. ---
**Author:** ![pgleg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@pgleg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pgleg)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/5 "2012-02-01T16:45:44Z")
this is the info that i received a few years back. do not quote me. peggy is celtic for margaret. thats the explanation i give when asked. voila. maybe. pgleg ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/6 "2012-02-01T17:06:53Z")
Well, it’s wrong. “Peggy” is not “Celtic” for “Margaret.” It’s English. Did you read what I said right above your reply? ---
**Author:** ![John\_W.Kennedy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_w.kennedy/32/1031_2.png) [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/7 "2012-02-01T19:31:37Z")
“Celtic” is not the name of a language. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2012, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-and-when-did-margaret-become-peggy/565826/8 "2012-02-05T13:37:29Z")
Also relevant: [What came first, Dick or “dick”? - The Straight Dope](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2030/what-came-first-dick-or-dick)