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Maeve

mayv
Irish
"she who intoxicates"
Sophie Kihm
By Sophie Kihm
Updated Wed Apr 23 2025

Maeve Origin and Meaning

The name Maeve is a girl's name of Irish origin meaning "she who intoxicates".

Maeve is a short and sweet name that has become one of the most stylish Irish names for girls in the modern US. Maeve would make an excellent first or middle name choice, with more heft than Mae/May and more modern charm than Mavis.

Maeve appears in Irish mythology in two forms, one as the powerful Queen of Connacht, the other as the queen of the fairies. Maeve of Connacht was a warrior queen, famous for starting a war in attempt to steal her ex-husband’s stud bull. Other spellings are Meabh, Medb and Meadhbh, which are connected to mead, a honey-based wine that was produced in many ancient cultures.

Chris O'Donnell, Lili Taylor and Kathryn Erbe used Maeve for their daughters. The Irish author Maeve Binchy also is a well-known bearer. Maeve is the name of one of the lead characters on the HBO show Westworld.

Irish spelling Meabh is popular in Ireland, but not recommended in the US.

# 73 in the US

Maeve Rank in US Top 1000

# 2 on Nameberry

Maeve Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Popularity of the name Maeve

20 Names Similar to Maeve

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Famous People Named Maeve

  • (Anne) Maeve Binchy
    Irish novelist
  • Maeve Brennan
    Irish novelist
  • Maeve Dermody
    Australian actress
  • Maeve Geraldine Fort
    British diplomat
  • Maeve Patricia Mary Theresa Gilmore
    British painter; wife of author Mervyn Peake
  • Maeve Higgins
    Irish comedienne
  • Maeve Kinkead
    American soap opera actress
  • Maeve Anne Quinlan
    American actress
  • Maeve Fahey Kennedy Townsend (b. 1979)
    daughter of politician Kathleen Kennedy Townsend; granddaughter of politician Robert F. Kennedy
  • Maeve Elsbeth Erbe Kinney (b. 1995)
    daughter of actors Terry Kinney and Kathryn Erbe
  • Maeve Frances O'Donnell (b. 2007)
    daughter of actor Chris O'Donnell
  • Maeve Taylor
    Flynn (b. 2008), daughter of actress Lili Taylor and poet Nick Flynn
  • Maeve Thea Rosa (b. 2017)
    daughter of YouTubers Tara and Mandi Rosa of Living Rosa; twin of sister Everett Lux
  • Maev Alexander (born Maev Alexandra Reid McConnell)
    Scottish actress
  • Maev Ni Mhaolchatha
    Irish singer of group Celtic Woman

The name Maeve in Pop Culture

  • Maeve
    queen of Connaught in Irish mythology
  • Maeve
    character on TV's Make It Or Break It
  • Maeve
    character in Dustlands series by Moira Young
  • Maeve Colleary Ryan
    character on American soap Ryan's Hope
  • Maeve Donovan
    former girlfriend of Dr. Spencer Reid on Criminal Minds
  • Maeve
    Celtic sorceress on TV show The Adventures of Sinbad
  • Maeve Millay
    character on TV series Westworld
  • Maeve Jacqueline Kelly Corrigan
    Queen of Beldain, character in "The Young Elites" book series by Marie Lu
  • Queen Maeve
    main antagonist of Sarah J. Maas's book series "Throne of Glass"
  • Maeve Wiley
    character on TV's Sex Education
  • Maeve Rojas
    character in "One of Us is Lying" by Karen McManus

International Variations of the name Maeve

  • Maeva
    French
  • Maebh
    Gaelic
  • Medbh
    Gaelic
  • Madhbh
    Gaelic
  • Meadhbh
    Gaelic
  • Meibh
    Gaelic

The name Maeve in Nameberry Blog Posts