Mae
Mae is a girl's name of English origin.
Meaning
Bitter, beloved, or associated with the month of May and the goddess Maia.
Origin and history
Mae is a classic English feminine name, originally derived as a diminutive of Mary or Margaret, or as a reference to the month of May, which traces back to the Roman goddess Maia. It experienced peak popularity in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and has recently enjoyed a soft vintage revival in the United States. Its simple, single-syllable structure makes it popular both as a standalone given name and a middle name.
Popularity in the United States
114,835 babies in the United States have been named Mae since 1880. It ranks #339 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #517.
States where it is most popular
- PA (6.7 %)
- TX (6.1 %)
- GA (5.9 %)
- NY (5.8 %)
- NC (5.8 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 5,647 |
| 1890-1900 | 10,918 |
| 1900-1910 | 12,711 |
| 1910-1920 | 21,530 |
| 1920-1930 | 22,760 |
| 1930-1940 | 12,859 |
| 1940-1950 | 8,947 |
| 1950-1960 | 5,542 |
| 1960-1970 | 2,172 |
| 1970-1980 | 830 |
| 1980-1990 | 606 |
| 1990-2000 | 654 |
| 2000-2010 | 1,714 |
| 2010-2019 | 4,427 |
| 2020-2029 | 3,518 |
Famous people named Mae
- Mae West: Actress, Playwright
- Mae Jemison: Astronaut, Engineer
- Mae Whitman: Actress, Voice Actress
Fun facts
- Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to travel into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.
- The name shares ties with Maia, the Roman goddess of growth and spring after whom the month of May was named.