Mae
Mae is a feminine given name primarily used in English-speaking countries. Often regarded as a variant of May, it is associated with the Roman goddess Maia, symbolizing spring, growth, and fertility. The name gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is frequently used as a vintage-style given or middle name.
Meaning & Origin of Mae
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Mae is a feminine given name primarily used in English-speaking countries. Often regarded as a variant of May, it is associated with the Roman goddess Maia, symbolizing spring, growth, and fertility. The name gained popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is frequently used as a vintage-style given or middle name.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Mae
Mae first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1880, with 344 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 2,756 Maes were born — ranking #95 that year. As of 2026, Mae ranks #502 for baby girls with 604 births, gradually rising (+10%). In total, more than 115K Maes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Mae
Phonetically similar names — useful when Mae is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mae
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About the name Mae
Mae is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 115K births in the dataset. Mae's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #52. Use the chart and map above to compare Mae's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.