Maebh
Maeve, Meave, Maev or Maiv, Maiev, Mabh ( mayv) is a female given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish name Méabh, which was spelt Meadhbh or Maedhbh in Early Modern Irish, Meḋḃ or Meaḋḃ in Middle Irish, and Medb in Old Irish. It may derive from a word meaning "she who intoxicates", "mead-woman", or alternatively "she who rules".
Meaning & Origin of Maebh
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Maeve, Meave, Maev or Maiv, Maiev, Mabh ( mayv) is a female given name of Irish origin. It comes from the Irish name Méabh, which was spelt Meadhbh or Maedhbh in Early Modern Irish, Meḋḃ or Meaḋḃ in Middle Irish, and Medb in Old Irish. It may derive from a word meaning "she who intoxicates", "mead-woman", or alternatively "she who rules".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Maebh
The earliest SSA record of Maebh as a baby girl name dates back to 2008, when 5 babies received it. 2016 was its biggest year on record, with 8 newborns named Maebh — #11,780 in the national rankings. About 72% of every Maebh on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. Maebh last appeared in the published SSA data in 2022, with 6 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 78 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Maebh
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Maeve Binchy (1940–2012), Irish writer
- Maeve Brennan (1917–1993), Irish short story writer and journalist
- Maeve Dermody (born 1985), Australian actress
- Maeve Fort (1940–2008), British diplomat
- Maeve Gilmore (1917–1983), British artist and wife of Mervyn Peake
- Maeve Harris (born 1976), American abstract painter
- Maeve Higgins (born 1981), Irish comedian
- Maeve Hillery (née Finnegan), retired Irish doctor, the widow of Patrick Hillery, President of Ireland 1976–90
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Maebh
Phonetically similar names — useful when Maebh is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Mebe
- Mob
- Meep
- Mab
- Moob
- Mabe
- Mayb
- Mobe
- Meb
- Mub
- Meap
- Mib
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Maebh
What does the name Maebh mean?
How popular is Maebh in 2026?
When was Maebh most popular?
Is Maebh a unisex name?
What names go well with Maebh?
About the name Maebh
Maebh is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2008 and has accumulated 78 births in the dataset. Maebh's peak popularity came in 2016 when it ranked #11,780. Use the chart and map above to compare Maebh's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2016 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- 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.