Pronunciation
Mave (rhymes with Dave)
Meaning
She who intoxicates
Alternate spellings
Maeve; Meadhbh; Medb; Meabh; Maobh
Fun fact
Queen Medb of Connacht is one of Irish mythology’s commanding characters. Medb, Meadhbh, Méabh and Maeve let you see how her name has travelled through different spellings.
Popularity in Ireland
Figures for the spelling Méabh, Republic of Ireland.
The CSO only publishes names given to three or more babies in a year. “Less than 3” means zero, one or two babies, and these years appear as gaps on the graph.
#38Rank among girl names in 2025116Babies registered in 2025
Number of babies registered each year
From 2018, spellings with and without fadas are counted separately. Earlier figures group these spellings together, so the graph has a break at 2018.
View yearly figures
| Year | Babies named | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 116 | #38 |
| 2024 | 104 | #50 |
| 2023 | 118 | #44 |
| 2022 | 82 | #65 |
| 2021 | 100 | #57 |
| 2020 | 68 | #77 |
| 2019 | 66 | #87 |
| 2018 | 58 | #103 |
| 2017 | 81 | #76 |
| 2016 | 72 | #82 |
| 2015 | 78 | #83 |
| 2014 | 74 | #89 |
| 2013 | 57 | #109 |
| 2012 | 75 | #88 |
| 2011 | 75 | #92 |
| 2010 | 62 | #107 |
| 2009 | 59 | #111 |
| 2008 | 75 | #88 |
| 2007 | 53 | #110 |
| 2006 | 50 | #113 |
| 2005 | 52 | #108 |
| 2004 | 40 | #122 |
| 2003 | 40 | #121 |
| 2002 | 18 | #208 |
| 2001 | 31 | #136 |
| 2000 | 24 | #159 |
| 1999 | 22 | #165 |
| 1998 | 19 | #179 |
| 1997 | 21 | #213 |
| 1996 | 31 | #160 |
| 1995 | 27 | #162 |
| 1994 | 14 | #240 |
| 1993 | 13 | #266 |
| 1992 | 12 | #282 |
| 1991 | 12 | #273 |
| 1990 | 21 | #201 |
| 1989 | 8 | #332 |
| 1988 | 10 | #304 |
| 1987 | 8 | #348 |
| 1986 | 5 | #422 |
| 1985 | 5 | #421 |
| 1984 | 9 | #320 |
| 1983 | 4 | #476 |
| 1982 | 4 | #467 |
| 1981 | 3 | #533 |
| 1980 | 3 | #542 |
| 1979 | 3 | #523 |
| 1978 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1977 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1976 | 5 | #392 |
| 1975 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1974 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1973 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1972 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1971 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1970 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1969 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1968 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1967 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1966 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1965 | Less than 3 | - |
| 1964 | Less than 3 | - |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies’ Names, tables VSA50 and VSA60. Latest year: 2025.