Maeve is a beautiful name, but is it the right fit for your child?
Meaning of Maeve: She who intoxicates.
Nicknames: Mae, Maevey.
Origin: Gaelic.
When considering baby names that are right for your daughter, Maeve may be one you are considering, especially if you are drawn to Irish or Gaelic names. Although it is a lovely name, it does carry a bit of a bad rap. Medb (the original Gaelic spelling), was a great warrior queen from Irish mythology who was known to be intoxicating and forthright with men. In fact, a friend of mine from Ireland advised me to not name my daughter Maeve at the chance that others may assume she was “a bit of a slut.” Now, I do not believe that naming your daughter Maeve will give every person that idea, but it certainly something to be weary of. It is always nice to have a name that means something lovely. For instance, my name is Sarah, which I have been told means “Princess.” With a name that means “princess,” you cannot go wrong. It is lovely and dignified. However, I would imagine that just about everyone in the world knows someone named Sarah (with spelling variations). While on the other hand, I do not know a single person named Maeve. So, would you prefer a popular princess or an uncommon slut?
Opinions on Maeve:
When naming my children, I always try to think of whether or not I would have liked having the name I plan to give them. For instance, when I named my daughter Delaney, I thought how much I would love having that name. Delaney is different and distinguished, without being hard to pronounce or ridiculous. Also, Delaney has a bit of a tomboy flare, with a girly nickname (Laney), which to me is ideal. I grew up hating my name. The name Sarah made me feel ordinary. It also meant that I had to carry my last initial with me: Sarah M. was what I went by. While my friend Ceire (pronounced keyra), was so unique. I always wanted a stand-out name. Maeve is a stand-out name.
When I asked friends about their thoughts of the name Maeve, my Irish friend warned against it- although she is somewhat superstitious. My other friend’s agreed it was cute and different, but boring without a great nickname. After all, names with adorable nicknames have become quite trendy. For instance, Olivia: Liv, Madison: Maddy, Addison: Addy, Isabella: Bella, Isabelle: Izzy. Another concern that arised when considering the name, was finding a middle name that did not sound horrible. Rose, Lee, Anne, and Grace, for instance, are all popular middle names that sound strange with Maeve. However, longer, two syllable names sound much more fitting.
Middle Names that work well with Maeve:
Elizabeth
Renee
Josephine
Anniston
Cameryn
Violet
Teagan
Mackenzie
Madison
Isabelle
Aubrielle
Gabrielle
Maeve is a wonderful name choice for any baby: it is unique and lovely sounding; however, for those who believe the meaning of the name is important and relevant to child’s personality, it may be a big turn-off. Although it is certainly a stand-out name, the weight of it’s meaning may be too much for some to bare.
Sources:
Parent’s Connect:
http://babynamesworld.parentsconnect.com/meaning_of_Maeve.html
Baby Name Wizard:
http://www.babynamewizard.com/namipedia/girl/maeve
