Mae first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Mae has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Mae

A feminine name of English origin meaning "bitter" or "pearl".

Popularity of Mae by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Mae is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Mae being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 597 female babies and 5 male babies born with the name Mae.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 5 baby boys were named Mae in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 5 597
2022 0 612
2021 0 618
2020 0 509
2019 0 556
2018 0 560
2017 0 461
2016 0 534
2015 0 513
2014 0 413
2013 0 419
2012 0 372
2011 0 337
2010 0 259
2009 0 240
2008 0 230
2007 0 208
2006 0 207
2005 0 175
2004 0 151
2003 0 119
2002 0 140
2001 0 112
2000 0 132
1999 0 99
1998 0 83
1997 0 68
1996 0 56
1995 0 61
1994 0 66
1993 0 45
1992 0 53
1991 0 64
1990 0 59
1989 0 58
1988 0 55
1987 0 59
1986 0 53
1985 0 56
1984 0 63
1983 0 60
1982 0 64
1981 0 59
1980 0 79
1979 0 65
1978 0 71
1977 0 75
1976 0 69
1975 0 87
1974 0 87

The history of the first name Mae

The name Mae is an English feminine given name with origins dating back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old French name Marie, which in turn comes from the ancient Hebrew name Miryam. Miryam is thought to be composed of the Hebrew elements mar "drop, bitter, or beloved" and yam "sea".

Mae was originally a medieval diminutive or pet form of the name Mary, emerging as a distinct name in its own right in the 18th century. One of the earliest recorded examples of Mae as a given name is found in the baptismal records of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, England, where a Mae Palfrayman was christened in 1761.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Mae became a popular name in the United States, peaking in popularity around the 1920s. Some notable historical figures named Mae include Mae West (1893-1980), the American actress, playwright, and sex symbol; Mae Jemison (born 1956), the first African American woman to travel into space; and Mae C. Jemison (1918-1993), the first African American woman to serve as a United States Ambassador.

Other famous individuals named Mae throughout history include Mae Busch (1891-1946), an Australian-born Canadian actress who appeared in numerous silent films; Mae Murray (1889-1965), an American actress, dancer, and producer who was one of the most famous stars of the silent film era; and Mae Zetterling (1925-1994), a Swedish actress, director, and novelist.

While the name Mae has waned in popularity in recent decades, it continues to be used as a given name, particularly in English-speaking countries. Its enduring appeal lies in its simplicity, its connection to the more traditional name Mary, and its associations with notable historical figures who have borne the name.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Mae was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mae, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Mae first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 13, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/mae-meaning-and-history/.

"Mae first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/mae-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 13 December, 2024

Mae first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/mae-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.