Meaning: Its source is Meadhbh, a Gaelic name meaning "Intoxicating."

Though not linguistically related, Maude and Mabel have been historically used as English versions of Maeve.

Languages: This girl's name is used in English and Irish Gaelic.

Variant Forms: Mab, Mave and Meave

Source Forms: Meadhbh

Popularity: The name Maeve ranked 728th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics.

Narrative: The original form was the name of a wild, powerful warrior queen of pre-Christian Ireland. She is described in the Irish prose epic Tain Bo Cuailnge (''The Cattle Raid of Cooley'').