Mae means pearl or bitter — the one-syllable variant of Mary/May. Mae West was the most provocative woman in Hollywood history — Why don't you come up sometime and see me? Mae Jemison was the first Black woman in space. Mae is the month of May compressed into three letters: spring, rebirth, and maximum compactness.
Three letters with the most elegant possible sound: MAY.
The meaning pearl is gem-quality beautiful.
It works as both standalone and middle name.
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The vibe of Mae
pearlMayWestprovocativeJemisonspacespringcome up and see me
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Origin & history of Mae
Hebrew Miriam (bitter/pearl)→Mary→May→compact Mae
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Hebrew / Latin roots
Mae is a compact variant of Mary/May meaning pearl or bitter. Mae West (1893–1980) was Hollywood's most provocative, wittiest woman. Mae Jemison was the first Black woman in space (1992). Mae works beautifully as both a given name and middle name.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Compact variant; Mae West (1893–1980); Mae Jemison (born 1956).
3
Today
Mae remains a beloved choice, ranking #553 in the US. 114,841 babies have been named Mae since 1880.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Mae?
1918peak year
Today, Mae is rarely chosen — ranked around #553, with only about 555 babies given the name per year. But it wasn't always this way. At its peak in 1918, 2,756 babies were given the name (ranked #95 nationally). Its strongest stretch was the 1920s. Mae's usage has held roughly steady recently. In all, around 114,841 babies have been registered as Mae since 1880.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Mae's Life Path 5 is the adventurer's number — compact adventure. People named Mae tend to be provocative, pioneering, and gifted at conquering space in three letters.
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Conquers space in three letters
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Provocative wit
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First-in-space courage
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Pearl-compact beauty
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Spring-rebirth energy
M4
A1
E5
Sum: 10 → Life path 1
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Personality of Mae
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Independent & bold
These individuals chart their own course. They lead, they don't follow.
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Ambitious drive
Quiet determination sits behind everything they do.
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Original ideas
Their minds work differently — seeing angles others walk past.
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