Sample Name Check · illustrative figuresYour name, checked by NameProof
Meaning & history
“Intoxicating”
Irish origin
Maeve is the anglicized form of Medb, a name traditionally linked to an Irish word for intoxication. In Irish legend, Medb was a powerful queen of Connacht, and the name has been used in Ireland for centuries before spreading to English-speaking families.
Pronunciation
1 syllable. The audio uses your device’s voice, which reads the spelling.
Short form
None in common use
Maeve is usually used in full.
Meaning, history and name forms are written by AI and may contain mistakes. Compare with a reviewed source. Pronunciation comes from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary.
Maeve is recognisable without being crowded, and its recent climb has been steady rather than abrupt.
With Rose Hartley, the rhythm and initials are clear. The reviewed association and Spanish checks do not raise a concern.
- Popularity
- Sound
- Associations & Spanish
- Siblings
- 1 limit noted below
The evidence for Maeve
Popularity & ageClear
Ten-year national rank
Climbing steadily since 2015
Five-year trend estimate: 580–1080 per million in five years. It extends the line above; it isn’t a forecast.
Classroom collision
About 1 in 100 classes would have two Maeves
100 classes, each with 14 girls, using the 2025 US share of births (1.0%).
Living median age
Mostly worn by kids and teens
Half of living people named Maeve are younger than 12.
Boys and girls
More than 99% of babies named Maeve in 2025 were girls
Sound with Rose Hartley2 clear
- Rhythm
Clear: Maeve Rose Hartley runs 1–1–2 syllables, a varied, natural spoken rhythm.
- Initials
Clear: MRH does not match the initials watchlist.
Associations & SpanishClear
- Associations
Clear: No reviewed film, song, meme, or taunt association in the current table. That isn't proof that none exists.
- Spanish
Clear: No collision in the reviewed Spanish table.
Spelling & pronunciationClear
- Spellings
Clear: Maeve is 96% of girls with this sound in 2025. Other spellings: Maive (3%).
- Odds by sound
Clear: Counting every spelling, classroom odds are 1.0%, close to 1.0% for this spelling alone.
- Pronunciation
Clear: The pronunciation dictionary lists one way to say Maeve.
Spellings are grouped by how they’re likely said, using a spelling-based rule, so a few groupings may be imperfect. Pronunciations come from the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. Shown for context; none of this changes the evidence score.
FamilyBlends well
Maeve blends well with Oliver.
- Era
Clear: Maeve was most popular in the 2020s; Oliver in the 2020s.
- Popularity
Clear: Maeve is ranked 101–500; Oliver is a top-100 name.
- Form
Clear: Maeve and Oliver both read as full names.
- Length
Clear: Maeve has 1 syllable; Oliver has 3 syllables.
- First letter
Clear: Maeve starts with a different letter from Oliver.
- Rhyme & sound
Clear: Maeve doesn't rhyme with or sound close to Oliver.
- Nicknames
Clear: No shared short form on our list with Oliver.
Shown for context; sibling fit doesn’t change the evidence score. Each sibling’s era and popularity use the sex that name is most often given to.
AI assessment
We asked AI to read the facts in this report and give its own view of the name. It’s a written opinion, not a computed figure, and it doesn’t change the evidence score.
Maeve is a well-balanced choice for this family: distinctive, established, and easy to place in the full name.
- Maeve
Maeve has a clear sound with Rose Hartley, a steady usage pattern, and no reviewed risk that changes the recommendation.
What we couldn’t check
Naming the gaps is part of an honest answer.
- All figures and findings on this page are illustrative. A live report uses the imported data set current at generation time.