NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Mame

An English feminine name meaning "mother" or "grandmother".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Mame is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mame popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4843, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2020, with 6 births.

This profile covers 41 England and Wales registrations across 11 recorded years from 2001 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 41 living people in the UK are called Mame. 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 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Mame ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 4 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2020, when 6 girls were registered as Mame.
  • About 41 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mame as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4843

2024

Births in 2024

4

Latest year

Peak year

2020

6 births

Estimated living

41

2026

Meaning

What does Mame mean?

The name Mame has its origins in French culture and language. It is a diminutive form of the French name Marie, which in turn derives from the Hebrew name Miriam. The name Miriam is believed to have been derived from the ancient Egyptian words "mr" meaning "beloved" and "iamm" meaning "sea of bitterness."

In the Middle Ages, the name Mame was a popular French variant of Marie. It was often used as a term of endearment for loved ones, particularly grandmothers. The name gained widespread recognition in the Western world through the novel "Auntie Mame" by Patrick Dennis, published in 1955, and the subsequent Broadway play and film adaptations.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mame can be found in the 13th-century French poem "Roman de la Rose." In this work, the character of a young woman named Mame is portrayed as a symbol of beauty and virtue.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mame. Mame Adjoua (1928-2021) was a renowned Ivorian singer and actress, renowned for her contributions to the traditional music of Côte d'Ivoire. Mame Diarra Bousso (1976-) is a Senegalese activist and politician, known for her work in promoting women's rights and gender equality.

Mame Maḥmūd Gāmī (1506-1589) was a Sufi saint and scholar from Gujrat, India, who wrote extensively on Islamic mysticism. Mame Kumba Siddibe (1835-1896) was a Senegalese warrior and leader of the Serer people, renowned for her bravery in battles against French colonial forces.

Mame Ndiayu Mbaye (1951-) is a Senegalese author and academic, recognized for her contributions to Francophone literature and her advocacy for women's education in West Africa.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Mame over time

The chart below shows babies named Mame registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Mame, the clearest high point is 2020. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2024, compared with 6 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Mame
02356200120122024

Decades

Mame by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mame 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 #4721 21 5
2010s #5388 10 3
2000s #4379 10 3

Related

Names similar to Mame

FAQ

Mame: questions and answers

How popular is the name Mame in the UK right now?

In 2024, Mame was ranked #4843 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.

When was Mame most popular?

The peak year on record was 2020, with 6 babies registered as Mame in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Mame?

An English feminine name meaning "mother" or "grandmother".

How many people are called Mame in the UK?

A total of 41 babies have been registered as Mame across the 11 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.

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.