Maeve
Maeve is a girls' name of Irish origin meaning “she who intoxicates.” It ranked #48 in the United States in 2025. Maeve derives from the Old Irish 'Medb,' a powerful warrior queen of Connacht in Irish mythology.
how do you pronounce Maeve?
MAYV
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Maeve mean?
The name Maeve means “she who intoxicates.” It comes from the Irish language tradition.
Maeve derives from the Old Irish 'Medb,' a powerful warrior queen of Connacht in Irish mythology. Its meteoric rise — from outside the top 500 in 2010 to the top 50 — reflects the trend toward short, strong Celtic names.
where does the name Maeve come from?
An anglicised form of the Irish Medb, generally derived from a root meaning intoxicating or she who intoxicates — related to the word behind mead. The sense is closer to one who makes drunk than to one who is drunk.
the history of Maeve
Medb is the queen of Connacht in the Táin Bó Cúailnge, who launches a war over a bull and drives the plot of the greatest surviving Irish epic. She is a formidable rather than decorative figure, and the connection between her name and intoxication is often read as pointing to a ritual of sovereignty. The name has risen sharply in Ireland and America since 2000.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2024 | #48 |
| 2023 | #58 |
| 2022 | #72 |
| 2021 | #86 |
| 2020 | #108 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Maeve?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Maeve?
- Queen Medb (Irish mythological queen)
- Maeve Binchy (Irish novelist)
- Maeve Millay (Westworld character)
what names are similar to Maeve?
what names go well with Maeve?
Sibling names that share Maeve's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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