meg

Meg is typically a feminine given name, often a diminutive of Margaret. The given name Margaret originates from the Greek margarites, meaning pearl. In English-speaking countries, Meg has been used both as a standalone name and as a nickname for Margaret and related forms such as Maggie. It has appeared in use since the 19th century and remains in use today.

Notable people named Meg include American actress Meg Ryan (born 1961), author Meg Cabot (born 1967), musician Meg White (born 1974) of The White Stripes, and actress Meg Foster (born 1948). The name is widely recognized through various public figures across film, literature, and music.

In fiction, Meg Griffin is a main character on the animated series Family Guy; Meg Murry is the protagonist in A Wrinkle in Time; Megara, commonly called Meg, is a character in Disney's Hercules. These characters illustrate the name’s use in diverse genres from animation to fantasy literature.

In computing and everyday language, “meg” is an informal shorthand for a megabyte (MB). More formally, the prefix mega- denotes a factor of one million. The term is also used in some contexts as a casual nickname for people named Margaret.