Maelle
A feminine French name of uncertain origin, possibly a variation of Marie.
Name Census estimates that about 471 living Americans carry the first name Maelle. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maelle today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maelle births was 2010 (51 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maelle. 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
471
~ 1 in 727,716 Americans
Peak year
2010
51 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,722
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Maelle: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maelle from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 278 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Maelle remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maelle 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 Maelle during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Maelles live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. New York, Florida, California recorded the most babies named Maelle, while Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Colorado recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Maelle
The given name Maelle has its origins in the French language. It is a feminine form of the male name Mael, which is derived from the Breton word "mael" meaning "prince" or "chief". The name Maelle was particularly popular in Brittany, a region in northwestern France with a distinct cultural identity and language related to Welsh and Cornish.
The earliest recorded use of the name Maelle dates back to the Middle Ages in Brittany. It was a common name among the Breton nobility and aristocracy during this period. The name gained wider popularity in France during the Renaissance era, particularly among the French aristocracy who were often influenced by Breton culture and traditions.
In ancient Breton folklore and legends, Maelle was often associated with strong female characters and heroines. One notable example is the legendary figure of Maelle the Fair, a princess renowned for her beauty and courage who is said to have defended her kingdom from invaders in the 6th century.
Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Maelle. One of the earliest recorded figures was Maelle de Rohan (1195-1257), a Breton noblewoman and heiress who played a significant role in the political affairs of the Duchy of Brittany during the 13th century.
Another prominent figure was Maelle de Bretagne (1332-1384), a Breton princess and Countess of Montfort who led her troops in the Breton War of Succession against the French crown during the Hundred Years' War.
In the realm of literature, Maelle de la Tour d'Auvergne (1495-1531) was a French poet and noblewoman known for her contributions to the Renaissance poetry movement in France.
In more recent times, Maelle Maurice (1914-1994) was a French actress and singer who appeared in numerous films and stage productions during the mid-20th century.
Maelle Ricker (born 1978) is a Canadian snowboarder who won a gold medal in the snowboard cross event at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The name Maelle has maintained its popularity in France and other French-speaking regions over the centuries, often chosen for its historical and cultural significance, as well as its melodic and feminine sound.
People
Maelle + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maelle 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
Maelle: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maelle?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 471 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maelle 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 727,716 US residents.
Is Maelle a common name?
We classify Maelle as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 475 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maelle most popular?
The single biggest year for Maelle was 2010, when 51 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maelle is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Maelle a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maelle 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.