Girl · Old Irish
Maeve
Say it: MAYV
Meaning
From Old Irish Medb, usually explained as 'she who intoxicates', related to mid 'mead'.
Likelythe main view, with some doubt.
The legendary queen of the Ulster Cycle; revived in Ireland in the 20th century and rising in the US from the 2010s.
Its wave through time
Rising now
In the United States
- 15,344 babies given this name since 1940
- At its height in 2020, about 1 in 977 girls
- 1,637 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
The family of the name
Other spellings: Maev, Medb
| Old Irish | Medb |
|---|---|
| Irish | Méabh |
Famous bearers
- Medb, legendary queen of Connacht
- Maeve Binchy, Irish novelist
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- Well-known works of literature
- The Irish annals and early Irish literature
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.