Mae
Every Mae since 1880 — 115,441 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Mae
Mae is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #501 in 2025 with 594 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 115,441 American babies have been named Mae. Its peak came in 1918, when 2,769 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Mae stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Mae year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 594 | #501 | — | — |
| 2024 | 578 | #529 | — | — |
| 2023 | 599 | #506 | 5 | #13,433 |
| 2022 | 614 | #511 | — | — |
| 2021 | 622 | #502 | — | — |
| 2020 | 511 | #576 | — | — |
| 2019 | 556 | #549 | — | — |
| 2018 | 561 | #553 | — | — |
| 2017 | 461 | #640 | — | — |
| 2016 | 535 | #579 | — | — |
| 2015 | 513 | #588 | — | — |
| 2014 | 413 | #686 | — | — |
| 2013 | 419 | #676 | — | — |
| 2012 | 373 | #749 | — | — |
| 2011 | 337 | #804 | — | — |
| 2010 | 259 | #979 | — | — |
| 2009 | 240 | #1,065 | — | — |
| 2008 | 230 | #1,124 | — | — |
| 2007 | 208 | #1,208 | — | — |
| 2006 | 207 | #1,177 | — | — |
| 2005 | 175 | #1,279 | — | — |
| 2004 | 151 | #1,385 | — | — |
| 2003 | 119 | #1,622 | — | — |
| 2002 | 140 | #1,382 | — | — |
| 2001 | 112 | #1,637 | — | — |
| 2000 | 132 | #1,409 | — | — |
| 1995 | 61 | #2,204 | — | — |
| 1990 | 59 | #2,190 | — | — |
| 1985 | 56 | #1,961 | — | — |
| 1980 | 79 | #1,509 | — | — |
| 1975 | 86 | #1,297 | — | — |
| 1970 | 120 | #1,033 | — | — |
| 1965 | 189 | #722 | — | — |
| 1960 | 347 | #519 | — | — |
| 1955 | 575 | #367 | 9 | #2,893 |
| 1950 | 737 | #287 | 8 | #2,937 |
| 1945 | 854 | #225 | 14 | #1,900 |
| 1940 | 1,018 | #185 | 6 | #3,336 |
| 1935 | 1,267 | #160 | 15 | #1,892 |
| 1930 | 1,650 | #137 | 18 | #1,789 |
| 1925 | 2,332 | #116 | 17 | #1,979 |
| 1920 | 2,730 | #99 | 14 | #2,295 |
| 1915 | 2,486 | #89 | 13 | #2,133 |
| 1910 | 1,453 | #65 | 8 | #1,273 |
| 1905 | 1,284 | #60 | 10 | #823 |
| 1900 | 1,406 | #54 | 10 | #884 |
| 1895 | 1,193 | #52 | 5 | #1,190 |
| 1890 | 920 | #58 | 6 | #956 |
| 1885 | 578 | #63 | 5 | #1,030 |
| 1880 | 344 | #71 | — | — |
Famous people named Mae
- Mae West Actor · 1893–1980
- Mae Murray Actor · 1885–1965
- Mae Marsh Actor · 1894–1968
- Mae Busch Actor · 1891–1946
- Mae Jemison Astronaut · b. 1956
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Mae in 2025?
Mae ranked #501 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 594 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Mae?
115,441 babies have been named Mae in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Mae most popular?
Mae peaked in 1918, when 2,769 newborns received the name.
Is Mae a boy or girl name?
Mae is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Mae rising or falling?
Mae is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Mae?
Well-known people named Mae include Mae West (actor), Mae Murray (actor), Mae Marsh (actor).