The baby name Maela is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmeɪlə/ (MAY-lə),/maˈe.la/ (ma-AY-la).
Maela is Breton in Origin.
The baby name Maela is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmeɪlə/ (MAY-lə),/maˈe.la/ (ma-AY-la).
Maela is Breton in Origin.
Maela is a modern Breton feminine given name formed from Maël, a Celtic name meaning “chief, prince,” or more broadly “leader,” with the feminine -a ending. The element mael is ancient in the Breton/Armorican lexicon and tied to early regional Christianity; medieval saints bearing Mael helped keep the root alive in local naming. Use of Maela/Maëla rose in Brittany and wider France from the late 20th century, part of the revival of short, diacritic-rich Breton names.
Variants and related forms include Maëla (standard Breton/French spelling), Maela (anglicized), Maëlle, Maëlys, Maëlie, and the masculine Maël. In English and other languages, diacritics are often omitted. The root is cognate with Old Irish Máel “tonsured; devotee of,” seen in medieval theophoric names, though Maela as an independent feminine aligns with Breton patterns. Nicknames: Mae, Ela. Meaning centers on leadership and quiet nobility.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PR | 0 | #55 | 1 | 1,497 | |
| KW | 0 | #121 | 1 | 5,216 | |
| Switzerland | Girls | 2024 | #128 | 8 | 1,786 |
| IQ | 0 | #133 | 1 | 3,533 | |
| BW | Boys | 0 | #154 | 1 | 4,685 |
| LU | Girls | 0 | #190 | 1 | 4,850 |
| DK | 0 | #206 | 1 | 5,198 | |
| AO | Girls | 0 | #217 | 1 | 4,575 |
| AL | Girls | 0 | #227 | 1 | 4,141 |
| JP | Girls | 0 | #251 | 1 | 6,592 |
| EC | Girls | 0 | #256 | 3 | 3,650 |
| Canada | Girls | 2024 | #276 | 10 | 2,795 |
| HR | Girls | 0 | #294 | 1 | 3,687 |
| CN | Boys | 0 | #331 | 1 | 9,639 |
| PL | Girls | 0 | #364 | 1 | 5,096 |
| France | Girls | 2021 | #395 | 11 | 3,185 |
| PH | Girls | 0 | #428 | 2 | 13,098 |
| CL | 0 | #434 | 1 | 6,867 | |
| CO | 0 | #509 | 2 | 7,768 | |
| PA | Girls | 0 | #518 | 1 | 9,861 |
| IQ | Girls | 0 | #525 | 1 | 11,303 |
| UY | Girls | 0 | #535 | 2 | 6,731 |
| CM | Girls | 0 | #553 | 8 | 11,671 |
| KW | Girls | 0 | #560 | 2 | 19,177 |
| IR | Boys | 0 | #565 | 1 | 10,162 |
| BH | 0 | #582 | 6 | 17,937 | |
| AE | Girls | 0 | #596 | 2 | 20,968 |
| AR | Girls | 0 | #629 | 2 | 8,289 |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #631 | 2 | 18,916 |
| HK | Girls | 0 | #649 | 2 | 16,104 |
| LB | 0 | #690 | 1 | 13,263 | |
| IT | 0 | #693 | 22 | 4,183 | |
| QA | Boys | 0 | #743 | 1 | 18,093 |
| SY | 0 | #766 | 2 | 11,684 | |
| KW | Boys | 0 | #804 | 3 | 18,755 |
| United States | Girls | 2024 | #847 | 70 | 8,487 |
| CL | Girls | 0 | #914 | 2 | 14,098 |
| PE | Girls | 0 | #922 | 22 | 14,861 |
| Spain | Girls | 0 | #973 | 11 | 5,561 |
| CO | Boys | 0 | #981 | 1 | 15,656 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,010 | 5 | 25,931 |
| CO | Girls | 0 | #1,052 | 27 | 16,140 |
| IT | Girls | 0 | #1,087 | 368 | 9,415 |
| ZA | Girls | 0 | #1,132 | 10 | 25,928 |
| ZA | Boys | 0 | #1,157 | 22 | 25,619 |
| MA | 0 | #1,196 | 4 | 20,986 | |
| DZ | 0 | #1,234 | 1 | 20,130 | |
| MX | Girls | 0 | #1,265 | 3 | 17,781 |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,604 | 11 | 28,008 |
Maela is popular in 40 countries — most recent births per country:
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