girl's name
Maeva
may-EV-a
- Origin Tahitian
- Gender Girl
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 67,843
Scotland
#71
2024 births
Maeva is a girl's name of Tahitian origin meaning "welcome." It is the standard greeting in Tahitian, and reached Europe through French Polynesia — one of very few Polynesian names in common European use.
- Maeva is a name of Tahitian origin.
- Peaked in France in 2001, when 3,265 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade in France.
- Today about 1 in 1,440 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in birth records in 1960.
Maeva over time
Births per decade in France, 1960s to 2020s. Maeva is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 15 |
| 1970s | 280 |
| 1980s | 4,895 |
| 1990s | 20,615 |
| 2000s | 23,430 |
| 2010s | 8,135 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,575 |
What Maeva means
Maeva means welcome. It is the ordinary Tahitian word of greeting rather than a descriptive name, so it functions the way Aloha would if used as a name.
Where Maeva comes from
Maeva is the Tahitian word of welcome, used as a greeting throughout French Polynesia. Tahiti has been a French territory since 1880, and the name traveled to metropolitan France through that connection, becoming genuinely popular there from the 1980s. Its arrival in Britain is more recent and largely follows French naming fashion. A separate Irish Maeve, from Medb meaning she who intoxicates, is an unrelated name that is often confused with it because of the similar opening.
Maeva in use
Our data shows Maeva peaking in 2001 and still rising, at 136 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1960. It is one of the very few Polynesian-origin names on this site, and its route into British use — via France rather than directly — is unusual.
How popular is Maeva?
In 2025, Maeva was given to 366 babies in England and Wales, ranking #136 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Maeva is used
French counts are rounded to the nearest five and nothing below five is published, so these figures show the shape of the name's use rather than an exact tally. Data & sources.
How Maeva is spelled
Birth registers count each spelling separately, so every one has its own ranking.
| Spelling | What it is | Births on record |
|---|---|---|
| Maëva | Maëva is Maeva written with a diaeresis, used in France, where it ranks #478. | 7,560 |
| Maéva | Maéva is Maeva written with an acute accent, used in France, where it ranks #1,345. | 2,170 |
| Maèva | Maèva is a rare spelling of Maeva, written with a grave accent and recorded about 35 times, mostly in France. | 35 |
| Maêva | Maêva is a rare spelling of Maeva, written with a circumflex and recorded about 10 times, mostly in France. | 10 |
Names that peaked alongside Maeva
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Maeva also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Maeva over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Maeva
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Maeva in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Maeva
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Maeva — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Maeva
What does the name Maeva mean?
Maeva means "welcome" — it is the ordinary Tahitian word of greeting.
Is Maeva the same as Maeve?
No. Maeve comes from the Irish Medb, meaning she who intoxicates. The two are unrelated and often confused.
How did a Tahitian name reach Britain?
Through France. Tahiti has been French territory since 1880, and Maeva became popular in France before spreading.
How popular is the name Maeva?
In 2025, Maeva was given to 366 babies in England and Wales, ranking #136 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Maeva a girl's or a boy's name?
Maeva is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
When was Maeva most popular?
Maeva peaked in 2001, when 3,265 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Maeva?
Maeva is usually shortened to Mae, Eva and Maé.
Is Maeva a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Maeva currently ranks #71 in France. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.