Mae
Say it: MAY
GirlMeans a pet form of Mary or Margaret3 letters1 syllable
#180
in Ireland (2025)
#183 with spellings combined
26
babies in 2025
#183
best rank (2025)
315
babies since 1999
Up 250
10-year rank change
Mae through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (girls) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #183 |
| 2024 | 22 | #200 |
| 2023 | 18 | #227 |
| 2022 | 21 | #214 |
| 2021 | 21 | #226 |
| 2020 | 23 | #197 |
| 2019 | 24 | #203 |
| 2018 | 22 | #219 |
| 2017 | 12 | #343 |
| 2016 | 18 | #254 |
| 2015 | 10 | #433 |
| 2014 | 18 | #274 |
| 2013 | 10 | #428 |
| 2012 | 13 | #372 |
| 2011 | 13 | #361 |
| 2010 | 7 | #556 |
| 2009 | 10 | #441 |
| 2008 | 8 | #504 |
| 2007 | 6 | #549 |
| 2006 | 3 | #763 |
| 2005 | 3 | #690 |
| 2004 | 4 | #576 |
| 1999 | 3 | #527 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Mae mean?
A pet form of Mary or Margaret
English, a spelling of May, used as a short form of Mary and Margaret.
Say it right
MAY
The story of Mae
Mae is a spelling of May, and began as a pet form of Mary and Margaret. It was fashionable in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, and the actor Mae West made it widely known. Many people also connect it with the month of May, and through that with Maia, a Roman goddess of spring, but the name’s own roots lie in Mary and Margaret.
Today it is often chosen as a middle name, and more and more as a first name too, in the same vintage style as Ivy, Nell and Ada.
Mae first appears in the CSO records in 1999, with 3 girls. It grew slowly through the 2010s, and 2025 was its best year so far, with 26 babies, when it reached number 180. The CSO counts Mae and May separately.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Mae (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Mae (given name)
- CSO VSA60, Girls Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Mae | 26 | 315 |
In Northern Ireland
#334 in 2025 with 4 babies. Best rank #263 (2019); 40 babies since 2007.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.