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May

Quick answerThe name May derives from the Latin "Maius," referring to the month of May, which was named after Maia, the Greek goddess of growth and fertility.

English · Girl · 1 syllable

M
Top 5,000

Popularity & facts

Relative popularity index, 2010–2025
GenderGirl
US Rank#1,233
TrendStable
Peak year1919
Syllables1
OriginEnglish
LanguageEnglish
CultureEnglish
Letters3
Numerology3 Chaldean 6
Global rank#301

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 May

The name May derives from the Latin "Maius," referring to the month of May, which was named after Maia, the Greek goddess of growth and fertility.

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

Etymology

The name May derives from the Latin "Maius," referring to the month of May, which was named after Maia, the Greek goddess of growth and fertility. It is used across English-speaking, Germanic, and Romance-speaking cultures; the name gained popularity in the Victorian era and has been borne by figures like British Prime Minister Theresa May.

May currently ranks #1,233 in the United States as a girl's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1919.

Variants & nicknames

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

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