Maarit

Maarit is a Finnish form of the name Margaret, ultimately derived from the ancient Greek margaritēs, meaning pearl. The name entered Finnish through Scandinavian and ecclesiastical Latin channels, following the veneration of Saint Margaret of Antioch, whose cult was widespread in medieval Europe. Maarit became an established given name in Finland particularly during the twentieth century as Finnish-language forms of traditional European names gained popularity. Related forms include the Swedish Margareta, the Finnish Marjatta, and the shorter Finnish variant Maaret.