The Irish name Maeve (pronounced mayv) — an Anglicized form of Medb, meaning “intoxicating” — wasn’t widely used in the U.S. until it got three distinct boosts from popular culture.
The first boost came from the movie My Son, My Son! (1940), which featured a character named Maeve O’Riorden (played by Laraine Day).
- 1942: unlisted
- 1941: 10 baby girls named Maeve
- 1940: 8 baby girls named Maeve [debut]
- 1939: unlisted
- 1938: unlisted
(Notably, the character pronounced her name with two syllables: MAY-vuh.)
The second boost came decades later, from the soap opera Ryan’s Hope (1975-1989), which featured a character named Maeve Ryan (played by Helen Gallagher).
- 1989: 52 baby girls named Maeve
- 1988: 56 baby girls named Maeve
- 1987: 41 baby girls named Maeve
- 1986: 45 baby girls named Maeve
- 1985: 32 baby girls named Maeve
- 1984: 30 baby girls named Maeve
- 1983: 23 baby girls named Maeve
- 1982: 19 baby girls named Maeve
The third boost is most likely attributable to the action/adventure TV show The Adventures of Sinbad (1996-1998), which featured a character named Maeve (played by Jacqueline Collen). But Irish writer Maeve Binchy — whose book Circle of Friends (1990) was made into a popular movie of the same name in 1995 — may have been an influence as well.
- 1999: 343 baby girls named Maeve (ranked 669th)
- 1998: 240 baby girls named Maeve (ranked 881st)
- 1997: 207 baby girls named Maeve (ranked 955th)
- 1996: 141 baby girls named Maeve
- 1995: 133 baby girls named Maeve
- 1994: 102 baby girls named Maeve
In 1997, Maeve entered the top 1,000 for the first time ever.
By 2010, Maeve ranked 536th — very close to the top 500.
How high do you think the name will climb?
Update, 2016: Five years on, in 2015, Maeve ranked 450th. Still climbing!
Update, 2022: In the 2021 data, Maeve ranked 124th — very close to the top 100!