Maev
Medb, later spelled Meadhbh, Méabh(a) and Méibh, and often anglicised as Maeve, is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had several husbands before him who were also kings of Connacht. She rules from Cruachan.
Meaning & Origin of Maev
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Medb, later spelled Meadhbh, Méabh(a) and Méibh, and often anglicised as Maeve, is queen of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. Her husband in the core stories of the cycle is Ailill mac Máta, although she had several husbands before him who were also kings of Connacht. She rules from Cruachan.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Maev
Maev first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 2019, with 9 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 11 Maevs were born — ranking #9,053 that year. As of 2026, Maev ranks #9,053 for baby girls with 11 births, with steady use. In total, more than 25 Maevs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Maev
Phonetically similar names — useful when Maev 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 Maev
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About the name Maev
Maev is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2019 and has accumulated 25 births in the dataset. Maev's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #9,053. Use the chart and map above to compare Maev's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- 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.