Maeve

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Maeve

Gender: Feminine
Language: Irish
Etymology:
Maeve is an English form of the Irish Gaelic name Meadhbh (or Medb), meaning “Intoxicating.”

History:
Maeve, a name from Irish legend (a warrior-queen of Connacht), was a popular name in medieval Ireland at least until the 16th century. Many sources say Shakespeare introduced the Irish legend (now a “fairy-queen” called Queen Mab) to English writers in Romeo and Juliet (1596).
Today, Maeve has been revived in Ireland.

Pronunciation: mehv, mayve

Alternates: Meadhbh, Mave, Meave, Mab.

See also: Mab.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Maeve Binchy (1940-)
Irish author.

Miscellaneous:
Maeve (Medb)
A warrior-queen of Connacht

Scientists and Inventors:
Meave Gillian Leakey (1942-)
British zoologist and paleontologist.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
less than 0.001 % named Maeve, Mave, Meadhbh, Mab, etc.

Popularity of Maeve:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-2000: N/A
1997: 967th most popular.
1998: 888th most popular.
1999: 671st most popular.
2000: 773rd most popular.
2001: 747th most popular.
2002: 704th most popular.
2003: 657th most popular.

In Ireland...
1998: 69th most popular.
1999: 65th most popular.
2000: 59th most popular.
2001: 70th most popular.
2002: 75th most popular.
2003: 77th most popular.