Maeve Girl

Popularity: #73 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: MAYV /meɪv/

Origin: Irish; Gaelic

Meaning: Irish: 'she who intoxicates'; Gaelic: 'the cause of great joy'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Maeve has its roots in the Old Irish name "Medb," which is derived from the Proto-Celtic *Medu, meaning "intoxicating" or "she who rules." The name Medb appears in early Irish literature, particularly in the Ulster Cycle, where Queen Medb of Connacht is a central figure. This legendary queen is known for her fierce independence and ambition, famously leading an army against Ulster to capture the prized Brown Bull of Cooley, a story that has been recounted in various forms since at least the 8th century.

As the name transitioned into Middle Irish, it evolved into "Maeve," maintaining its association with strength and leadership. The name was further popularized in the 19th century through literary works that revisited Irish mythology and folklore, notably in the writings of authors such as Lady Gregory and W.B.

Yeats. The name's enduring appeal can be traced back to its strong historical and cultural connotations, which resonate with themes of power and femininity in Irish heritage.

Culturally, Maeve has been associated with sovereignty and the divine feminine, often linked to the earth and fertility. In Irish mythology, Medb is depicted as a goddess of war and fertility, embodying the duality of nurturing and fierce independence.

This duality has contributed to the name's lasting significance in Irish culture, where it symbolizes both strength and femininity. Additionally, the name has variants and diminutives, such as "Maev," which reflect its historical roots while maintaining a connection to its original meaning.

Famous people named Maeve

In this section, you will find notable people named Maeve. 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 Maeve who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Maeve 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.

Maeve Binchy is an author best known for Circle of Friends, Tara Road, and Evening Class.

Maeve Kelly is a writer best known for her short stories and contributions to various literary magazines.

Maeve McGrath is a singer best known for her performances in various musical theater productions.

Fictional characters named Maeve

The following list of fictional characters named Maeve is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Maeve Millay is a fictional character from the TV series Westworld. She is a host who gains sentience and seeks to escape her programmed narrative to find her daughter.

Sibling suggestions

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

NiamhAoifeSiobhanClodaghRoisinOrlaCaoimhe

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Maeve. 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.

MaireadMabelMaeMavisMaraMinaMira

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Maeve was first seen in the United States in 1940.

Maeve has ranked as high as #194 nationally, which occurred in 2025, and has been most popular in New York, Massachusetts, Illinois, Pennsylvania, and California.

In the past 5 years the name Maeve has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Maeve 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 Maeve 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 Maeve.

Year Total Births Girl
2025 3,153 3,153
2024 3,105 3,105
2023 3,062 3,062
2022 2,676 2,676
2021 2,253 2,253
2020 1,644 1,644
2019 1,303 1,303
2018 973 973
2017 867 867
2016 820 820
2015 703 703
2014 648 648
2013 625 625
2012 571 571
2011 489 489
2010 546 546
2009 508 508
2008 486 486
2007 480 480
2006 447 447
2005 398 398
2004 378 378
2003 413 413
2002 350 350
2001 317 317
2000 295 295
1999 343 343
1998 240 240
1997 207 207
1996 141 141
1995 133 133
1994 102 102
1993 90 90
1992 79 79
1991 67 67
1990 48 48
1989 52 52
1988 56 56
1987 41 41
1986 46 46
1985 32 32
1984 30 30
1983 23 23
1982 19 19
1981 21 21
1980 13 13
1979 13 13
1978 13 13
1977 12 12
1976 9 9
1975 7 7
1974 8 8
1973 8 8
1972 9 9
1971 10 10
1969 12 12
1968 6 6
1967 6 6
1966 7 7
1965 11 11
1964 12 12
1963 16 16
1962 5 5
1961 12 12
1960 15 15
1959 11 11
1958 11 11
1957 5 5
1956 5 5
1955 7 7
1954 11 11
1953 9 9
1952 8 8
1951 7 7
1949 8 8
1947 7 7
1945 6 6
1944 5 5
1943 6 6
1941 10 10
1940 8 8

Top States for Maeve (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
NY 203
7%
CA 197
6%
IL 191
6%
PA 185
6%
MA 173
6%
TX 173
6%
OH 150
5%
MI 113
4%
FL 105
3%
VA 95
3%
WA 95
3%
MN 90
3%
NJ 89
3%
NC 81
3%
CO 75
2%
WI 73
2%
GA 67
2%
IN 63
2%
UT 55
2%
CT 54
2%
MD 50
2%
OR 49
2%
AZ 49
2%
IA 48
2%
NH 46
1%
TN 45
1%
MO 40
1%
NE 38
1%
RI 35
1%
KS 33
1%
OK 26
1%
ID 24
1%
ME 23
1%
LA 23
1%
SC 21
1%
KY 21
1%
NV 19
1%
MT 19
1%
VT 18
1%
DC 18
1%
AR 17
1%
AL 16
1%
SD 15
0%
DE 13
0%
NM 12
0%
ND 12
0%
AK 10
0%
MS 8
0%
WY 8
0%
HI 8
0%
WV 7
0%