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Mae

Quick answerMae is a diminutive form of Mary, derived from the Latin "Maria," which ultimately traces to Hebrew origins meaning "of the sea" or "beloved." The name's linguistic root connects to the Latin "maris" (of the sea) and Hebrew "Miriam." Mae has been used primarily in English-speaking cultures, particularly in the United…

English · Girl · 1 syllable

M
Top 1,000

Popularity & facts

Relative popularity index, 2010–2025
GenderGirl
US Rank#501
TrendStable
Peak year1918
Syllables1
OriginEnglish
LanguageEnglish
CultureEnglish, French
ReligionChristianity
Letters3
Numerology1 Chaldean 1
Global rank#67

Popularity over time

Popularity index
Hover the line to see any year. 100 = most popular.

Historical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data

About the name Mae

Mae is a diminutive form of Mary, derived from the Latin "Maria," which ultimately traces to Hebrew origins meaning "of the sea" or "beloved." The name's linguistic root connects to the Latin "maris" (of the sea) and Hebrew "Miriam."

Mae has been used primarily in English-speaking cultures, particularly in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, with notable bearers including actress Mae West (1893–1980) and jazz singer Mae Rainey (1886–1939); it is also associated with Christian traditions through its connection to the Virgin Mary.

Cross-referenced with Wikidata/Wikipedia. AI-assisted, community-reviewable. Suggest an improvement.

Etymology

Mae is a diminutive form of Mary, derived from the Latin "Maria," which ultimately traces to Hebrew origins meaning "of the sea" or "beloved." The name's linguistic root connects to the Latin "maris" (of the sea) and Hebrew "Miriam."

Mae has been used primarily in English-speaking cultures, particularly in the United States during the 19th and 20th centuries, with notable bearers including actress Mae West (1893–1980) and jazz singer Mae Rainey (1886–1939); it is also associated with Christian traditions through its connection to the Virgin Mary.

Mae currently ranks #501 in the United States as a girl's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1918.

Themeswater

Variants & nicknames

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Phonetic match, not just spelling
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Unisex Swedish

"Mia is a Scandinavian diminutive of Maria, derived from the Latin name Maria, which means "of the sea" or "beloved"…"

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"Minna is a German diminutive of Wilhelmina, derived from the Germanic elements "wil" (will, desire) and "helm" (helmet, protection), meaning…"

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Maya
Unisex Hinduism

"Maya derives from Sanskrit meaning "illusion" or "magic," related to the root "may" signifying creative power in Hindu philosophy."

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Momo
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"The name 'Momo' has multiple origins; in Japanese, it means "peach" (from the word 桃), while in various West African…"

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Mona
Unisex Irish

"Mona derives from the Arabic name Mona (منى), meaning "wishes" or "desires," rooted in the Arabic verb "manna" meaning to…"

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Mahi
Unisex Arabic

"The given name 'Mahi' is derived from the Arabic word 'محي' (mahī), meaning 'fish' or 'sea', and is also related…"

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Maia
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"Maia derives from Greek meaning "mother" or "midwife," rooted in the Proto-Indo-European term for "nursing" or "increase." The name appears…"

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Meena
Unisex Hindi

"Meena derives from Sanskrit and means "fish," rooted in the word "mīna" (मीन), which also connects to the zodiac sign…"

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Minea
Girl Finnish

"# Minea Minea derives from Greek roots meaning "moon" or "lunar," connected to the ancient Greek word for month (mensis)…"

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Mio
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"Mio is a Japanese given name meaning "beautiful" or "thread," derived from the kanji characters 美 (mi, beauty) or 未…"

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