According to baby name experts at Nameberry, an Irish girl name has reached new levels of popularity in the US.
Maeve is the Irish name that has reached new levels of popularity in the last two years. In 2021, it ranked higher in the US than it ever has before, Nameberry revealed.
The name has seen a steady increase in popularity in the last several years, especially since 2018, when it ranked as the 334th most popular name.
Irish name reaches new levels of popularity in the US – Maeve, a beautiful Irish name
Maeve has been making leaps in popularity in recent years. In 2018, Maeve ranked as the 334th most popular girl’s name in the US. This climbed to 244th in 2019 and 173rd in 2020.
As of 2021, leading into 2022, Maeve became the 124th most popular baby name for girls in the United States.
While the Irish name surged in popularity in the States, Maeve became the second most popular name for girls on Nameberry’s site in 2022.
However, while the name has steadily climbed in recent years, it is expected to fall down to the 197th spot by 2028.
Maeve – a beautiful Irish name
Maeve is the anglicised spelling of the Irish name Méabh. It is a name of Gaelic origin that means “intoxicating”.
It is the name of the first-century Queen of Ireland. Furthermore, the name appears heavily in Irish mythology.
Queen Maeve of Connaught is a legendary and iconic figure in Irish mythology. She was hailed as one of the strongest leaders at that time.
Given the meaning of her name, She was known as the Irish goddess of intoxication due to her beauty and prowess. The name is frequent in popular modern TV series, like Maeve Millay, played by Thandiwe Newton in Westworld and Maeve Wiley in Sex Education.
Irish names in the US – lasting popularity
Irish names have always been popular in the United States. This is largely due to the influence of mass immigration during The Famine when many Irish families fled to and settled in the US.
The most popular Irish boy name in the US is Liam, while Riley is the most popular girl name. Riley is generally more of a surname in Ireland but stands very popular as a female first name in the States.
While Nora is a name of Latin origin, it has compelling roots in Irish culture and is another name that has shown an increase in popularity in the US.
Other popular Irish names in America include Ryan and Aiden, while Declan and Rowan are increasing in popularity.
