Mairead
Mairead, also spelt Maighread, is a feminine given name, the Scottish Gaelic equivalent of Margaret. The Irish form is spelt Mairéad, 'Máiréad, Maighréad, or Máighréad'. Maisie is the pet form of Mairead.
Margaret is derived via French and Latin from meaning "pearl". The Greek is borrowed from Indo-Iranian languages.
Notable people with the name include:
- Mairead Buicke, Irish operatic soprano also active in concert and recital work
- Mairéad Byrne, Irish poet
- Mairéad Carlin, Irish singer
- Mairead Curran, Australian-born children's entertainer, actress and voiceover artist
- Mairéad Farrell (IRA activist), Irish volunteer of the Provisional Irish Republican Army
- Mairéad Farrell, Irish Sinn Féin politician
- Mairéad Graham, camogie player with St Anne’s Dunhill, winner of an All Ireland Junior Club championship Medal and the winner of a Club Player of the Year award later the same year
- Mairead inghean Eachainn, spouse of Alexander Stewart, 1st Earl of Buchan and mother of Alexander Stewart, Earl of Mar
- Mairead Maguire, Irish peace activist, Nobel Peace Prize laureate
- Mairéad McAtamney, retired Irish sportsperson
- Mairead McGuinness, Irish EU Commissioner
- Mairead McKinley, award-winning Irish actress
- Mairead Nash of Queens of Noize, English indie/disco or Wonky pop DJ duo based in London
- Maighréad Ní Dhomhnaill, Irish traditional singer from Kells, County Meath
- Máiréad Ní Ghráda, Irish poet, playwright, and broadcaster born in Kilmaley, County Clare
- Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan
- Máiréad Nesbitt, classical and Celtic music performer, most notably as a violinist
- Mairead Ronan, Irish radio presenter and television personality
- Máiréad Tyers, Irish Actress