Maceo Boy

Popularity: #873 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: mah-SAY-oh /məˈseɪ.oʊ/

Origin: Spanish; Italian

Meaning: Spanish: 'gift of God'; Italian: 'he who is like God'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Maceo has its roots in the Hebrew name Matityahu, which translates to "gift of God." This name was adapted into Greek as Mattathias and subsequently into Latin as Mattathias or Mattheus. The evolution continued into Old French as Mathias, which eventually influenced the formation of Maceo in the context of Spanish and Italian naming conventions.

The transition into English occurred through the Latin and Old French forms, particularly during the medieval period when biblical names became popular due to the influence of Christianity. Historically, the name Maceo is associated with several significant figures, most notably the biblical Mattathias, a priest who played a crucial role in the Maccabean Revolt against the Seleucid Empire in the 2nd century BCE.

His legacy is commemorated in various Jewish traditions, particularly during the festival of Hanukkah. The name has also been borne by notable individuals in history, such as Maceo Grajales, a prominent figure in the Cuban War of Independence in the late 19th century, who is celebrated for his leadership and contributions to the struggle for freedom.

Culturally, Maceo carries connotations of strength and resilience, often associated with the idea of divine favor or blessing. The name has been embraced in various cultures, particularly in Spanish-speaking countries, where it reflects a rich heritage of biblical names that have been adapted over centuries.

The diminutive form "Mace" may also be used informally, though Maceo remains the more recognized and formal version. Overall, the name Maceo encapsulates a blend of historical significance and cultural resonance, reflecting its enduring appeal across different eras and societies.

Famous people named Maceo

In this section, you will find notable people named Maceo. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Maceo who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Maceo who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Maceo Parker is a musician best known for his work with James Brown, Parliament-Funkadelic, and his solo career.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Maceo, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

MateoMarcoMarioMiloMaxMason

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Maceo. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

MaceMasonMatteoMalcolmMiloMarekMarius

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Maceo was first seen in the United States in 1898.

Maceo has ranked as high as #3646 nationally, which occurred in 2017, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, North Carolina, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name Maceo has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Maceo is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Maceo was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Maceo.

Year Total Births Boy
2025 65 65
2024 69 69
2023 61 61
2022 58 58
2021 79 79
2020 79 79
2019 62 62
2018 63 63
2017 95 95
2016 91 91
2015 69 69
2014 74 74
2013 50 50
2012 43 43
2011 67 67
2010 56 56
2009 54 54
2008 46 46
2007 44 44
2006 43 43
2005 35 35
2004 34 34
2003 33 33
2002 26 26
2001 32 32
2000 41 41
1999 35 35
1998 37 37
1997 35 35
1996 35 35
1995 27 27
1994 23 23
1993 18 18
1992 20 20
1991 16 16
1990 14 14
1989 18 18
1988 17 17
1987 8 8
1986 15 15
1985 16 16
1984 13 13
1983 15 15
1982 25 25
1981 13 13
1980 24 24
1979 27 27
1978 22 22
1977 17 17
1976 31 31
1975 32 32
1974 45 45
1973 15 15
1972 37 37
1971 45 45
1970 37 37
1969 27 27
1968 11 11
1967 8 8
1966 12 12
1965 11 11
1964 13 13
1963 14 14
1962 17 17
1961 15 15
1960 11 11
1959 10 10
1958 14 14
1957 14 14
1956 13 13
1955 17 17
1954 17 17
1953 17 17
1952 23 23
1951 18 18
1950 15 15
1949 14 14
1948 18 18
1947 16 16
1946 13 13
1945 15 15
1944 10 10
1943 27 27
1942 17 17
1941 10 10
1940 11 11
1939 16 16
1938 12 12
1937 16 16
1936 13 13
1935 28 28
1934 16 16
1933 15 15
1932 20 20
1931 21 21
1930 15 15
1929 19 19
1928 14 14
1927 20 20
1926 19 19
1925 24 24
1924 23 23
1923 26 26
1922 18 18
1921 15 15
1920 19 19
1919 13 13
1918 12 12
1917 9 9
1916 16 16
1915 11 11
1914 13 13
1913 10 10
1912 7 7
1911 6 6
1910 5 5
1909 11 11
1907 6 6
1906 6 6
1905 7 7
1903 5 5
1902 5 5
1901 5 5
1900 8 8
1899 9 9
1898 13 13

Top States for Maceo (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 10
34%
TX 9
31%
VA 5
17%
GA 5
17%