MAE names have a quality that is hard to describe but easy to feel when you say them. The sound is gentle but not weak, familiar but not overused, and works beautifully whether the full name is two letters or eight.
The MAE starting sound appears across more naming traditions than most people realise. It shows up in Irish mythology, in the top ten baby name lists of France, in Japanese naming culture, in Welsh tradition, and in the growing world of modern names created by parents who love the sound and want to build something fresh around it.
Here are 75 MAE names for girls with their origins and meanings.
Popular MAE Names
These are the MAE names that most people have heard and that have proven themselves as genuinely strong choices over time. They are popular for good reasons and each one holds up well both as a full given name and in everyday use.
1. Mae — English origin, a variant of May, meaning the fifth month, which comes from the Roman goddess Maia. Also used as a short form of Mary, meaning bitter or beloved. Simple and strong on its own.
2. Maeve — Irish origin, from the ancient Irish Meadhbh, meaning she who intoxicates or great joy. One of the most powerful names in Irish mythology, belonging to the warrior queen of Connacht.
3. Maeva — Tahitian and French origin, meaning welcome in Tahitian Polynesian. Also used as a French variant of Maeve. Warm and open in its meaning.
4. Maebh — Irish spelling of Maeve, closer to the original Gaelic form. Used by families who want to honour the Irish roots of the name more directly.
5. Maelys — Breton and French origin, from the old Breton word mael meaning prince or chief. Consistently one of the most popular girl names in France for the past two decades.
6. Maelie — Breton and French origin, meaning princess or the chief’s daughter. Softer in feel than Maelys but sharing the same noble Breton root.
7. Maelle — Breton and French origin, a feminine form of Mael, meaning chief or prince. Used widely across France and in French-speaking communities around the world.
8. Maegan — Welsh origin, a spelling variant of Megan, which comes from Margaret and means pearl. Carries the same warm meaning in a distinctly MAE opening.
9. Maemi — Japanese origin, meaning honest smile or true smile, combining the characters for truth and smile. Gentle and meaningful.
10. Maeko — Japanese origin, combining mae meaning dance or honest with ko meaning child. A traditional Japanese name format with a light and graceful feel.
11. Maelyn — Modern English origin, blending Mae with the popular Lynn ending. Used across the United States and growing steadily in use.
12. Maeveen — Irish origin, a diminutive of Maeve, meaning little joy or little one who intoxicates. Warm and affectionate.
13. Maebelle — English compound origin, combining Mae with Belle, meaning beautiful, to create a name meaning beautiful May or beautiful pearl.
14. Maera — Greek mythology origin, the name of the faithful dog of Icarius and later used as a human name. Also appears as a star name, giving it a celestial quality.
15. Maeva — already listed at number 3 but worth noting its additional use in French-speaking communities as a fully independent name from its Polynesian meaning.
French and Breton MAE Names
France and the Brittany region of northwest France have produced more MAE names than any other single culture. Breton names come from an ancient Celtic language closely related to Welsh and Cornish, and the Mael root meaning chief or prince has given rise to a rich family of feminine names that feel both old and fresh at the same time. Several of these are among the most popular girl names in France right now.
16. Maelis — Breton and French origin, a variant of Maelys carrying the same meaning of princess or chief. Slightly softer in its ending sound.
17. Maelenn — Breton origin, combining mael meaning chief with enn, a traditional Breton feminine ending. Used in Brittany for generations and still in active use.
18. Maelane — Breton origin, a variant form meaning the chief’s light or noble and bright. Gentle in sound and clear in meaning.
19. Maela — Breton origin, the shortest form of the Mael family of names. Clean, simple, and carries the same noble meaning as its longer relatives.
20. Maelou — Breton origin, combining mael with lou, a suffix used in Breton feminine names. Light and musical in sound.
21. Maelina — French and Breton origin, a lengthened form of Maela with a softer, more flowing ending.
22. Maelise — French compound origin, blending the Mael root with the ending of Elise or Lise. Elegant and distinctly French in its combination.
23. Maelona — Breton origin, a feminine form meaning noble woman or the chief’s own. Used in Brittany as a full and formal given name.
24. Maelou — already listed above, worth noting as one of the most used short Breton forms.
25. Maelinda — French and modern origin, extending the Mael root with the linda ending meaning beautiful, creating a name meaning beautiful princess.
26. Maelise — already listed. One of the most elegant French MAE combinations.
27. Maelia — French and Breton origin, a variant spelling of Maelie with the same meaning. Used across French-speaking communities with this alternate spelling.
28. Maeline — French origin, extending Maelie with the ine ending common in French feminine names. Flowing and refined.
29. Maelowen — Breton origin, a compound form meaning white princess or bright chief. Rare even within Brittany but genuine in its roots.
30. Maelou — the most commonly heard short Breton form, used naturally as a standalone name throughout the Brittany region.
Modern MAE Names
Modern MAE names are created by parents who love the sound and want to build something new around it. Some combine Mae with popular name endings. Others play with spelling. All of them give a child a name that sits in a recognisable world while being entirely their own.
31. Maelynn — modern English, combining Mae with the popular Lynn ending. A variant of Maelyn with a slightly fuller sound.
32. Maelynne — expanded spelling of Maelynn, adding the final e for a softer written look.
33. Maebry — modern English, blending Mae with the ending sound of Aubrey. Fresh and stylish.
34. Maeri — modern variant of Mari or Mary, meaning bitter or beloved, written with the MAE opening.
35. Maerie — elaborated spelling of Maeri, with an old-fashioned written quality.
36. Maeryn — modern English, blending Mae with the popular Eryn or Erin ending, meaning Ireland or peaceful.
37. Maerynn — variant spelling of Maeryn with a doubled final letter for a slightly different written feel.
38. Maevyn — modern variant of Maeve, replacing the traditional ending with the popular yn ending.
39. Maevina — modern and literary variant of Maeve, with a longer and more formal feel.
40. Maevi — modern short form, taking Maeve down to its lightest possible version.
41. Maevie — modern informal variant, the kind of name that starts as a nickname and becomes a full name.
42. Maeson — modern English, a feminine take on the name Mason, meaning stoneworker, opened with the MAE sound.
43. Maerose — modern English compound, combining Mae with Rose for a floral and light combination.
44. Maelisa — modern compound, blending Mae with Lisa, meaning pledged to God or light.
45. Maelin — modern short form, sitting between Maelie and Maelyn in length and feel.
46. Maelwin — modern, taking inspiration from Welsh naming patterns to create something new.
47. Maeverly — modern English, blending Maeve with the popular Everly or Averly sound.
48. Maewan — Welsh-inspired modern name, combining the MAE sound with the Welsh wyn or wan suffix.
49. Maewyn — modern and Welsh-inspired, meaning fair or blessed Mae.
50. Maeghan — modern Welsh-influenced spelling of Meghan or Megan, meaning pearl.
Short MAE Names
Short MAE names carry everything they need in just a few letters. These names are easy to say, easy to spell, and tend to work well with longer surnames or middle names that need space to breathe alongside them.
51. Mae — already listed as the primary classic name. Worth placing here too as the gold standard of short MAE names.
52. Maeva — at just three syllables, still feels light and short in everyday use.
53. Maela — four letters, Breton origin, calm and confident.
54. Maeli — informal short form, bright and friendly as a standalone.
55. Maely — variant of Maeli, slightly different in written form but identical in sound.
56. Maeby — informal creative variant, playful and light.
57. Maece — rare and short, inspired by the Roman name Maecenas, known for a great patron of the arts.
58. Maena — short and unusual, carrying a gentle sound without being attached to any single tradition.
59. Maerin — short modern form, combining Mae with the popular rin ending used across multiple languages.
60. Maeko — already listed in the popular section, placed here for its short and clean Japanese form.
Rare and Unique MAE Names
These MAE names are the least common on the list and the most distinctive. They come from specific cultural traditions, literary references, or the outer edges of modern naming and they suit parents who want something genuinely unusual with a real meaning behind it.
61. Maebh — already listed as the Irish spelling, but rare enough in English-speaking countries to belong here for its distinctive written form.
62. Maemi — Japanese, already listed, but rare enough outside Japan to feel genuinely unique in Western contexts.
63. Maelenn — Breton, traditional and almost entirely unknown outside Brittany.
64. Maelowen — Breton, rare even in its home region.
65. Maelona — Breton, formal and uncommon.
66. Maeveen — Irish diminutive, almost never seen outside Irish communities.
67. Maera — Greek mythology, rare as a given name and carrying a story-rich history.
68. Maeline — French, elegant and underused.
69. Maelinda — French and modern compound, distinctive in both origin and sound.
70. Maewan — Welsh-inspired, rare and strong.
71. Maevina — literary and rare, used by parents who want a longer form of Maeve with a formal quality.
72. Maerose — compound, fresh and completely uncommon.
73. Maelwin — modern Welsh-inspired, rare and original.
74. Maece — short and rare, the most distinctive short form on this list.
75. Maeverly — modern and blended, sitting at the creative edge of MAE naming.
Where Do MAE Names Come From?
MAE names come from several different places and understanding where they belong helps parents choose the one that feels most like theirs.
The Irish MAE names like Maeve and Maebh come from very old Gaelic tradition going back over a thousand years. The French and Breton MAE names like Maelys and Maelle come from an ancient Celtic language that is still spoken in Brittany today. The Japanese MAE names like Maemi and Maeko follow a completely different tradition of combining meaningful characters to build a name. Modern MAE names like Maelyn and Maevyn are new creations that borrow the sound and build something fresh around it.
Knowing which family your chosen name belongs to helps when someone asks where it comes from, which will happen often with a MAE name.
How to Say MAE Names Out Loud
Most MAE names are said exactly as they look, with the MAE part rhyming with the word day. Maeve rhymes with wave. Maeva rhymes with favour. Maelys is said MY-iss in French and sometimes MAY-liss in English-speaking countries.
The Breton and French names are worth saying out loud a few times before deciding. Some of them feel very natural in English. Others need a little practice. Picking a name that feels easy and natural to say in your own mouth is just as important as the meaning and origin behind it.
Final Thoughts
MAE names are in an interesting place right now. Some of them, like Maeve, have crossed into genuine mainstream popularity. Others, like Maelenn or Maelona, are known only to the communities they come from. Most of the list sits somewhere between those two points.
Whatever draws you to the MAE sound, there is a name here that belongs to a real tradition, carries a real meaning, and gives a girl something genuinely worth having at the start of her name.