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Maeve as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Maeve

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The baby name Maeve is a Female name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /meɪv/ (MAYV).

Maeve is Irish in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: /meɪv/ (MAYV)

What is the meaning of the name Maeve ?

The baby name Maeve is a Female name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /meɪv/ (MAYV).

Maeve is Irish in Origin.

Maeve is the anglicized form of Old Irish Medb (modern Irish Méabh/Meabh), the name of the formidable queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle. Etymology traces to a Celtic root related to mead, yielding meanings such as “she who intoxicates” or “intoxicating.” Through her mythic role in the Táin Bó Cúailnge, the name carries connotations of sovereignty, allure, strategy, and independent power.

Use persisted in Ireland, then broadened during the 19th‑century Gaelic revival and has surged again in contemporary English-speaking countries. Common variants include Méabh, Meabh, and Maebh; rarer Anglicizations are Meave and Mave. Though often mistaken as related, Maeva is a separate Tahitian name meaning “welcome.” Literary references (Yeats, Lady Gregory) and modern screen characters have reinforced Maeve’s appeal as a sleek, strong, and Celtic-cored choice.

Maeve has the following similar or variant Names

Maeve – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 874
Canada Girls 2024 #46 432 2,795
United States Girls 2024 #75 3,098 8,487
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
PH 0 #110 1 5,607
Switzerland Girls 2024 #124 12 1,786
CY Girls 0 #125 1 3,755
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
MT Girls 0 #153 1 3,773
Belgium Girls 2024 #154 32 424
Sweden Girls 2022 #173 7 1,568
SG 0 #281 2 11,010
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
HK 0 #357 1 8,483
CN Girls 0 #358 2 8,829
France Girls 2021 #366 40 3,185
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
PH Girls 0 #424 6 13,098
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
ZA 0 #472 3 14,421
CO 0 #510 1 7,768
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
IQ Girls 0 #523 3 11,303
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
UY Girls 0 #535 2 6,731
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
KW Girls 0 #561 1 19,177
IR Boys 0 #565 1 10,162
CR Girls 0 #571 3 11,342
SG Girls 0 #576 11 18,916
BH 0 #586 2 17,937
AE Girls 0 #592 6 20,968
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
HK Girls 0 #649 2 16,104
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
Finland Girls 2026 #731 8 3,895
NG Girls 0 #824 3 15,093
BR Girls 0 #928 14 12,708
NL Girls 0 #937 19 5,933
Spain Girls 0 #970 14 5,561
MY Girls 0 #980 15 24,821
NG Boys 0 #1,001 1 16,906
PE Girls 0 #1,007 4 14,861
SA Girls 0 #1,014 1 25,931
IN Boys 0 #1,039 1 16,750
ZA Girls 0 #1,116 26 25,928
MY Boys 0 #1,182 1 25,439
MX Girls 0 #1,265 3 17,781
ZA Boys 0 #1,272 1 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,430 17 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,690 2 28,008

Maeve is popular in 44 countries — most recent births per country:

Ireland
Canada
France
Scotland, United Kingdom
United States

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People also ask about Maeve

Maeve is predominantly a girl's name.
Maeve is a one syllable name, pronounced /meɪv/ (MAYV).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Meabh, Meadhbh, Medb, Maebh, Maive and Mave.
Across languages, Maeve has these equivalents: Medb (Old Irish), Meadhbh (historic Irish), Meabh (modern Irish).
Yes, very popular — Maeve ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 10 countries.
Maeve ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Maeve's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.