The baby name Maisie first caught on in the UK, before joining Sadie and Hattie on the US popularity charts.
Thanks to Laura and Audra for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.
MINI MARGARET NAME
The enduring Margaret offers many a nickname: Maggie and Meg, Peggy and Daisy, Greta, Gretchen, and, of course, Maisie.
In Scottish and Irish, Margaret became Mairead, and Maisie evolved from there.
It’s also spelled Maisy and Maizie and other combinations, like Mayzee, are out there. Dr. Seuss spelled it Mayzie. Senator Mazie Hirono was elected in 2013 to represent Hawaii.
FICTIONAL MAISIES
Speaking of Seuss, fictional Maisies abound.
Henry James’ 1897 novel What Maisie Knew chronicles the early years of a young girl whose parents divorce and generally behave badly. It became a critically acclaimed movie in 2012.
Back in the 1940s, a movie series inspired a hit radio show. Actor Ann Sothern played brash Brooklyn showgirl Maisie Ravier. Sothern’s career would span six decades, ending with her first Oscar nomination at the age of 78. But Maisie remains her iconic role. If you’ve ever heard the phrase “Likewise, I’m sure,” then you’ve heard Maisie’s most famous line.
In children’s literature, there’s Dr. Seuss’s Daisy-Head Mayzie, about a schoolgirl sprouting a yellow flower from her head. The story is relatively obscure – it was published posthumously in 1995, meaning that generations haven’t grown up with Mayzie. There’s also a bird named Mayzie in Seussical, and so a younger generation may see the name differently.
In the early 2000s, Lucy Cousins penned a series of books about Maisy Mouse. (The character is still going strong.) A television series followed around the same time, aired on Nick Jr. in the US.
Lucy Cousins, however, is English. And in the UK, the name is less of a surprise. It was already a Top 100 choice, with the -ie spelling, when Cousins’ mouse met the world. It seems possible that her character helped boost the -y version, as that name caught on quickly in the early 2000s, though it remains less popular.
The UK gives us more fictional Maisies – there’s author Jacqueline Winspear’s early twentieth century detective, Maisie Dobbs, as well as a character on British soap opera Emmerdale, to name just two.
The Perishers, a long-running British comic strip, also included a little Maisie, a strong-willed little girl sometimes compared to Lucy from the Peanuts in the US.
MAISIE WILLIAMS
Perhaps the most famous Maisie of our moment is Game of Thrones alum Maisie Williams. Famous for playing Arya Stark – and growing up on the show.
Williams was born Margaret, but got her nickname from The Perishers character.
HOW POPULAR IS MAISIE?
The rise of the baby name Maisie is almost certainly tied to Game of Thrones, at least in the US.
In 2011, the year we first met Arya Stark, just 138 girls were named Maisie in the US. By 2013, that number was 218. And in 2014? It reached 437, enough for the name to debut in the US Top 1000 at #653.
It hasn’t slowed down since, reaching #347 in 2019 and currently ranked #293 as of 2023.
Maisy and Mazie also chart in the current US Top 1000.
SADIE, MILLIE, and MAISIE
Of course, it’s not just about Maisie Williams.
The baby name Maisie fits neatly with another trend – our love of sparky nickname names like Sadie and Hattie. Plus the Mae sound, heard in names like Maeve, feels current current, too. Add in surname Macy, floral Daisy, and vintage charmer Mabel, all similar-sounding choices popular in recent years.
It’s also possible some of the many Margarets born in recent years could answer to the baby name Maisie. But just as Molly now feels separate and distinct from Mary, it’s not obvious to most how Maisie evolved from Margaret.
VINTAGE with SPARK
Overall, Maisie feels like an independent name for a strong, high-energy, and adventurous child. It’s fresher than Sadie, less common than Daisy or Maeve, and yet still nicely familiar.
What do you think of the baby name Maisie?
First published on December 23, 2009, this post was revised and re-posted on February 16, 2015, February 17, 2021, and June 4, 2024.
Maisie
sparky & vintage
Originally a Scottish short form of Margaret, Maisie now stands on its own. Maisie is sparky, high-energy, and nicely vintage, too.
Popularity
#293 as of 2023
Trend
gaining in use
Origin
Nickname for Margaret, which means “pearl” by way of the Scottish Mairead
Guess this is an old website but couldn,t resist commenting on the name.Hi! My name is Maisie!Really! I am Maisie Elaine Christine.Gone through my whole life with this name and actually like it because it is different so it makes me unique.My parents were born in England although I am Canadian.I often wondered what my name meant and for many years could never find it in those books that give the meaning or origin of names for babies,but have since found out that it seems to be a Scottish diminutive of Margaret.Some people have actually asked me ,quote “But what,s your real name?” They think Maisie is a nickname.I have only ever met 2 other ladies with this name while I was growing up.I married a man whose mother,s name was Daisy so that was at times a bit confusing for some people.I named my daughter Christine,always loved that name.I believe my mother named me after her sister-in-law Maisie in England.My mom,s name was Gertrude and she hated it.Her family called her Joy.So anyway, I am happy to be Maisie for anyone who is interested to know how the name affects some one as they are growing up.I like it and I wouldn,t change it for anything. The other 2 ladies I knew have both died,so no one else I know has this name.I like being different and unique.Someone has a dog with this name!! That is so cute.Funny too!Thx for listening.BFN. Maisie.
I like Maisie but prefer sprightly Daisy as a nickname for my beloved Margery. I don’t know any dogs named Maisie, or any dogs for that matter, we are cat people. 🙂
But yeah, I could see me naming a girl Margery and calling her Maisie – Daisy on a regular basis easily. I find Maisie sweet, if a touch airy. And the mouse doesn’t bother me at all!
I so adore Maisie and think she makes a great alternative to Daisy or Molly. Just love her and would really be pushing for her for this baby if my MIL didn’t have a dog by that name. 🙁
You know, it does make a great dog name! You’re right.
Ah, Maisy. Not for me (I’m sure no one’s surprised). It’s just so cutesy. Fine for a nickname for a child, but as a full name? Nope.
Bek – thank you so much for providing that link! That was very sweet and helpful of you.
I’m new here, so please forgive me and bear with me if I mention names that have been listed before.
But truly, that was very kind of you. Thanks 🙂 I went and commented on it.
Juliet, if you have a name suggestion, do a search (on the upper right side of the page) for the name first. This way, not only can you see if it’s been done, but you can also get the info on the name you’re looking into. If you don’t find the name, email Abby with your request. 🙂
Yes, I did afterwards. I will do that now in the future. Meryl Streep’s real name is Mary. I think the middle name is Louise. I think she combined Mary and Louise to make Meryl. 🙂
Were I ever to have to use the name Margaret, she’d be Maisie 100% of the time. I love the nickname, but can’t really stand the full name. Maisie’s definitely my favorite Margaret nickname. I could get behind Daisy, I guess, but it would take some convincing.
My daughter LOVES the Maisie series of books, so all I can see when I hear the name is that little mouse. I would never choose it for a baby with that connotation.
I love the name Maisie too. Found it in 2005 when I was looking for popular British names that are unusual over here in the US. I like the May sound – May / Mae alone wouldn’t work with our last name.
But I couldn’t get my husband to like it. His biggest problem was the rhyme with “crazy”. He said she’d end up being “Crazy Maisie”. (She did end up driving us a little crazy that first year! :P)
I also figured I’d have to spell the name all the time for everyone. Four years on I’m glad we didn’t go with something quite so ‘cutesy’ (I guess the -zee ending does that.) Back then I disliked the name Margaret, but lately I’m starting to like that one some more – though Maggie is the more natural nickname, as you said.
I think it’s funny that you didn’t like the rhyme with Crazy because my little Maisy is CRAZY. She knows it. She calls herself Crazy Maisy. I call tell her “quit being so lazy little maisy” and she giggles.
That is fun! I would have gone with it, but my husband didn’t want to.
Now my daughter is in 4th grade and is friends with Macy, Millie, Maddie, Maggie & Malia. So I’m glad that she doesn’t have a similar sounding name – though she’d probably end up liking it. 😛
Personally, the name doesn’t appeal to me. I know that Meryl Streep’s daughter goes by Maisie.
I find the name a bit gimicky; I don’t know why. It just does not attract me. I think it’s a bit too nicknamey as a full name. This is actually quite odd, since I am very open-minded about names and very few names I honestly dislike.
It also reminds me of the Afrikaans word for girl – meisie. I think the language connotation puts me off it. It would be like calling my daughter “Girl”, for me.
Sorry for those of you who like the name! I truly mean no offense.If you like it – go for it and use it! On a positive note, it would be refreshing to hear amongst the Emma and Avas
🙂
A suggestion for the girl name of the day – Nola
(I hope this hasn’t been suggested before. If I accidentally copied someone, I do apologize )
Nola was NOTD just a few weeks ago. Here is the post: https://appellationmountain.net/2009/12/11/name-of-the-day-nola/ in case you didn’t find it
Meryl Streep’s daughter is actually nicknamed Mamie, I believe.
Right you are, Eva! Her name is Mamie Gummer, and is apparently anickname for Mary Willa. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0336701/bio I think Meryl is a Mary, too.
I love Maisie. I had a great aunt Maisie and she was brilliant. Seriously contemplating calling a daughter Margaret (after my maternal grandmother) just so I can call her Maisie 🙂 Though I love Maggie too so maybe she’d have two nicknames!!