UK girl's name
Maebh
An Irish feminine name meaning "intoxicating" or "great queen".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2023. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Maebh is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Maebh popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2023 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4056, with 5 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2014, with 9 births.
This profile covers 96 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 2004 to 2023. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 56% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 167 living people in the UK are called Maebh. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2024 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Maebh ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales in 2023, with 5 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2014, when 9 girls were registered as Maebh.
- • Maebh ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #361 in 2018.
- • About 167 living people in the UK are estimated to have Maebh as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4056
2023
Births in 2023
5
Latest year
Peak year
2014
9 births
Estimated living
167
2026
Meaning
What does Maebh mean?
The name Maebh has its origins in the Old Irish Gaelic language, and it is believed to have been in use as early as the 5th century AD. It is derived from the Gaelic word "máeb," which means "intoxicating" or "causing frenzy." The name is also sometimes spelled as "Medb" or "Méadhbh."
One of the earliest and most famous historical references to the name Maebh comes from the ancient Irish epic tale, the Táin Bó Cúailnge. In this epic, Maebh (or Medb) is the powerful and formidable queen of Connacht, who leads her army into battle against Ulster. Her portrayal in the tale highlights her strength, ambition, and unwavering determination.
In the 6th century AD, there is a record of a High Queen of Ireland named Maebh, who ruled from the Hill of Tara. This historical figure is believed to have been a powerful and influential leader during her time.
Throughout the centuries, the name Maebh has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded examples is Maebh Locha Lein, who was a 7th-century Irish princess and the daughter of the King of Leinster.
Another notable figure was Maebh Brehenaigh, a 12th-century Irish noblewoman and the wife of the King of Connacht. She was known for her political influence and her role in negotiating peace treaties.
In the 16th century, Maebh Ní Cheallaigh was an Irish chieftain and the Lady of Hy-Many, a territory in County Galway. She is remembered for her leadership and defiance against English rule in Ireland.
Moving to more recent times, Maebh de Búrca was an Irish writer and journalist who lived from 1887 to 1958. She was a prominent figure in the Gaelic literary revival movement and contributed significantly to the preservation of Irish language and culture.
Maebh Ní Cholacáin, born in 1950, is a renowned Irish poet and writer. She has published several collections of poetry and has been recognized with numerous awards for her contributions to Irish literature.
The name Maebh has a rich history and cultural significance, particularly in Ireland. Its ancient roots and associations with powerful historical figures have contributed to its enduring popularity as a given name in the Irish tradition.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Maebh over time
The chart below shows babies named Maebh registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2004 to 2023. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Maebh, the clearest high point is 2014. The latest England and Wales figure is 5 births in 2023, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maebh by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Maebh was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3989 | 22 | 4 |
| 2010s | #4067 | 51 | 9 |
| 2000s | #3961 | 23 | 5 |
Geography
Where Maebh is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Maebh. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Maebh ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #361 in 2018.
Across the UK
Maebh in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#815 in 2012
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#361 in 2018
13 years of NISRA records, 69 total registered
Related
Names similar to Maebh
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Maebh: questions and answers
How popular is the name Maebh in the UK right now?
In 2023, Maebh was ranked #4056 for girls in England and Wales, with 5 births registered.
When was Maebh most popular?
The peak year on record was 2014, with 9 babies registered as Maebh in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Maebh?
An Irish feminine name meaning "intoxicating" or "great queen".
How many people are called Maebh in the UK?
A total of 96 babies have been registered as Maebh across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland and 69 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Maebh most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Maebh ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #361 in 2018. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.