I’ve always thought that Maggie was a basic, ugly name. I wanted a cute nickname to be called, but it was hard to make one out of Maggie. Whenever my sister would get annoyed at me, she would give me mean nicknames like “naggie Maggie” or “laggie Maggie”. Frustrated, I would tattletale on my sister to my mom, and as consolation, she would explain why she named me Maggie.

My mom named me Maggie for two reasons: after a Hong Kong singer she liked, and because it was easy to pronounce. My mom named me after someone she admired, as a silent connotation of her faith in me. The name ran easy on her lips as the simple two-syllable Mag-ee has similar enunciations with words in Chinese (HowToPronounce). At home, my name identity splits as my English and Chinese names get tossed around the kitchen table. When my parents are upset with me, they use my Chinese name, as a verbal weapon. However, everywhere else I go, I’m just Maggie, a name that means Pearl from Greek origins and symbolizes preciousness and purity (Allen). 

Now older, I realize that Maggie is not a popular name. After the 2000s, the name started to slowly decline and in 2023, Maggie only represented 5.6% of female births (Social Security Administration). Knowing this, I have realized how special my name is, like a pearl, hard to obtain and each has its uniqueness. Yearning for a nickname, I have come up with a cool nickname, Mags. It has been imprinted on my friends, my social media, and me. I came to accept, cherish, and even love my name. It’s the name that I am recognized by, the name engraved in my identity, and the name that has followed me all my life and will do so forever. To me, I am not the other Maggie. Just Maggie, or Mags.

Works Cited

Allen, Jamie, “Maggie.” Baby Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity, The Bump, XO Group Inc., Updated 12 Feb. 2025, www.thebump.com/b/maggie-baby-name. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

"Chen, Amber" "First Football Game at Michigan Stadium". 1 Sep. 2024. Author's personal collection.

“Maggie Pronunciation.” Pronunciation Dictionary, www.howtopronounce.com/maggie. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025. 

“Social Security Administration.”, www.ssa.gov/cgi-bin/babyname.cgi. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.