Fun Facts About the Name Mave
- 54 babies named Mave: U.S. records list 54 babies given the name Mave from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Mave Mean?
Mave is an English variant spelling of Maeve, the anglicized form of the Irish name Medb. The name is commonly explained as meaning "intoxicating" or "she who intoxicates," from a Celtic root for mead (Old Irish mid). The literal sense may have been "mead-woman" or a woman connected with mead and its effects, but the exact formation of Medb is not certain.
Mave Name History & Origins
The name comes from Medb, the Old Irish form; the modern Irish spelling is Méabh. In the Ulster Cycle, Medb is queen of Connacht and the driving figure behind Táin Bó Cúailnge ("The Cattle Raid of Cooley"), in which she leads an army against Ulster to seize the bull Donn Cúailnge. The tale gives the name its best-known literary setting.
English speakers rendered Medb and Méabh as Maeve. Mave is a simplified English spelling of that same name and has the same pronunciation; it is not a separate Irish name with an independent origin. The dropping of the ae digraph reflects English spelling habits rather than a change in the name's source.
How Popular is the Name Mave?
Mave has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2021. Its best rank was #10,050 in 2021.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #12,722 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #12,942 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #16,752 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2022 | #11,870 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #10,050 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #14,953 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #17,294 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #15,293 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Mave Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Mave's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Mave's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.