She who intoxicates; the cause of great joy
Meabh is a girl's name of Celtic origin — the original Irish spelling of what English speakers know as Maeve. It derives from an Old Irish word meaning she who intoxicates or she who causes great joy, with some scholars connecting it to a Proto-Celtic root related to mead, the honey-wine associated with feasting and celebration. The name belongs to one of the most powerful figures in Irish mythology: Queen Meabh of Connacht, a warrior ruler who features prominently in the great epic Táin Bó Cúailnge, where she commands armies and negotiates with kings as an equal. She is not a background character — she drives the entire story.
Queen Meabh of Connacht is one of Irish mythology's most fully realised female figures — ambitious, strategic, and entirely unapologetic. She does not wait to be saved or guided by men; she makes decisions, leads armies, and suffers real consequences. This makes Meabh a name with genuine cultural weight for parents who care about what their daughter's name says. The anglicised form Maeve has become popular internationally — used in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia — but the original Irish spelling Meabh keeps the name closer to its roots. In Ireland, Meabh peaked at #38, making it one of the stronger Irish girls' names in the charts.
Meabh carries connotations of confidence and presence — this is not a quiet, retiring name. The mythological Queen Meabh was described as someone who knew her own mind and acted on it, and the name has retained that association across generations. Parents drawn to Meabh often say they wanted something that felt strong without being harsh, and feminine without being soft. It suits a child who is likely to be noticed — not because she demands attention, but because she simply has it.
Meabh is one of the more successful Irish girls' names in terms of crossing borders while keeping its identity. In Ireland it peaked at #38 — a strong position that puts it in the upper tier of Irish female names. In the UK it peaked at #952, showing real crossover appeal among families with Irish connections. In the US it peaked at #10019, meaning it is rare there but genuinely used. In Canada it peaked at #3204. The anglicised Maeve is far more common internationally, but Meabh retains the original spelling for parents who want the authentic Irish form.
Meabh means she who intoxicates or she who causes great joy in Old Irish. Some scholars connect it to the word for mead, the honey-wine of Irish feasts, giving the name a sense of joyful celebration. It belongs to Queen Meabh of Connacht, one of the most powerful women in Irish mythology.
Meabh is pronounced MAY-v — just like the anglicised form Maeve. The 'bh' at the end of Irish words makes a 'v' sound, and the 'ea' makes a long 'ay'. So despite looking quite different on the page, Meabh and Maeve sound identical.
That depends entirely on what you want the name to say. Meabh is the original Irish spelling and keeps the name rooted in Gaelic tradition — it is what you would use in Ireland and what families with a strong connection to Irish culture tend to choose. Maeve is easier for non-Irish speakers and is more common internationally. Both are the same name with the same history; the spelling is the only difference.
Meabh is genuinely popular in Ireland — it peaked at #38 in the national rankings, putting it well within the mainstream of Irish girls' names. It is familiar to Irish speakers without being overused, which means your daughter is unlikely to be one of several Meabhs in her class but will not have to explain her name constantly either.
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