Girl name origins & meanings
- Irish: Joyous
- Celtic: Queen
- Greek: Goddess of song
- Latin: Purple flower
- French: A small bird; song-thrush; joy
What does Maeve mean and stand for?
The name Maeve means "purple flower" in Latin and is a feminine Celtic name meaning "queen." Maeve is the Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Medb, which means "intoxicating."
Syllables: 1
Discover more baby name meanings to learn what's behind every name.
Popularity of the name Maeve
According to Social Security Administration data, Maeve has been rapidly increasing in popularity, breaking into the top 200 most popular baby girl names for the first time in 2020 and also reaching its peak rank at 173.
Maeve was at its peak popularity in April 2020 according tof Google search data analysis from the last five years.
The name Maeve appears in Irish mythology as both the Queen of Connacht and as the queen of the fairies. Nowadays, Maeve invokes images of novelist (Anne) Maeve Binchy, novelist Maeve Brennan, actress Maeve Dermody, and comedian Maeve Higgins. The name also gained some notoriety after Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, Terry Kinney and Kathryn Erbe, Chris O'Donnell, and Lili Taylor and Nick Flynn all chose it for their daughters. Maeve was also the name of a prominent character in Westworld, as well as Throne of Glass, Criminal Minds, and Make It or Break It.
Where is the name Maeve popular?
Maeve was searched for most often in the following states:
Nicknames for Maeve
- Mae
- Mavie
Maeve pairs well with these middle names:
Maeve appears on these girl name lists:
- Our Favorite One-Syllable Baby Names and Their Meanings
- 75 One-Syllable Middle Names for Girls
- 75 Modern Names for Babies
- 100 Warrior Girl Names that are Strong and Beautiful
- 75 Exotic Names for Your Baby
