Maebelle
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "beautiful battle maid".
Name Census estimates that about 259 living Americans carry the first name Maebelle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maebelle today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maebelle births was 1917 (42 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maebelle. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
259
~ 1 in 1,323,376 Americans
Peak year
1917
42 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,796
Tracked since 1884
Popularity
Maebelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maebelle from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 315 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maebelle by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Maebelle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Maebelles live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia recorded the most babies named Maebelle, while Ohio, Alabama, Texas recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 13 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Maebelle
The name Maebelle is an English given name with roots in both French and English. It is a combination of the French word "belle," meaning beautiful, and the English word "may," which is derived from the Latin word "Maia," the name of the Roman goddess of spring.
The first recorded use of the name Maebelle dates back to the late 19th century in the United States. It was particularly popular in the southern states, where it was often given to girls born in the spring months.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Maebelle was Maebelle Gertrude Kemp, born in 1894 in Tennessee. She was a teacher and school administrator who dedicated her life to education.
Another notable Maebelle was Maebelle Stephens, born in 1905 in Texas. She was a businesswoman and philanthropist who founded several successful companies and donated generously to various causes.
In the world of literature, Maebelle Parker, born in 1913 in Mississippi, was a renowned poet and author. Her works explored themes of nature, love, and the human experience.
Maebelle Arbury, born in 1920 in Alabama, was a pioneering female athlete who excelled in basketball and track and field. She broke numerous records and paved the way for future generations of women in sports.
Lastly, Maebelle Pearce, born in 1928 in Georgia, was a celebrated actress and singer who performed on Broadway and in numerous films and television shows throughout her career.
These individuals, along with many others, have carried the name Maebelle throughout history, each leaving their unique mark on the world.
People
Maebelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maebelle as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Maebelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maebelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 259 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maebelle going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,323,376 US residents.
Is Maebelle a common name?
We classify Maebelle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,203 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maebelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Maebelle was 1917, when 42 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maebelle is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Maebelle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maebelle in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.