| Maeve | Deirdre | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | She who rules | Sorrowful |
| Origin | Irish | Irish |
| Gender | Girl | Girl |
| Pronunciation | MAYV | DEER-druh |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1940 | 1921 |
| Peak year | 2025 (3,153) | 1961 (799) |
| In 2025 | 3,153 | 13 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Maeve | Deirdre |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 15,893 | 85 |
| 2010s | 7,545 | 206 |
| 2000s | 4,072 | 544 |
| 1990s | 1,450 | 1,206 |
| 1980s | 333 | 2,049 |
| 1970s | 89 | 3,123 |
| 1960s | 102 | 6,321 |
| 1950s | 74 | 2,274 |
| 1940s | 50 | 822 |
| 1930s | 0 | 167 |
| 1920s | 0 | 48 |
Maeve anglicises the Irish Medb, usually interpreted as “she who rules” or “intoxicating.” Queen Medb is a central figure in Irish mythology.
Deirdre is usually read “sorrowful”; she is a tragic heroine of Irish legend.
Maeve is more popular than Deirdre today: about 3,153 US babies were given the name Maeve in 2025, compared with 13 named Deirdre.
Maeve means She who rules (Irish origin), while Deirdre means Sorrowful (Irish origin).
In US records, Maeve first appears in 1940 and Deirdre in 1921, so Deirdre has the longer recorded history.