Beautiful Names with May in Them: Sparky Lulamae, Strong Maeve

Names with May in them range from the vintage to the modern, smooshes to inventions. But they all contain the bright, vibrant, and spring-like sound of May names.

We love Mae, of course, so spare and lovely. The ‘e’ spelling appears in the current US Top 1000, while the ‘y’ does not. But the sound is everywhere.

Of course, names inspired by the month of May don’t have to include the sound. British Baby Names rounded up all of the saints and symbols associated with the fifth month of the year, including May, but also plenty of more subtle choices.

So if you’re mostly interested in nodding to the month? Names associated with the star signs of May – Taurus and Gemini; the birthstone of May – emerald; or May’s birth flowers – lily of the valley – could be every bit as appealing.

Mae and May, of course, were traditionally short for longer names, including Mary, Maria, and Margaret. But now the name is more likely to stand on its own.

But if it’s the sound that appeals? These names with May in them are for you.

POPULAR MAY BABY NAMES

AMAIA and AMAYA

It’s not exactly a May name. The letters are there, but it’s pronounced with a long I sound, just like Maya. Originally a Basque name, Amaia means “the end.”

MAE

Often chosen as a middle name for baby girls, Mae wears well as a first, too. Just ask legendary actress Mae West, pioneering astronaut Mae Jemison, or poets May Miller and May Sarton.

MAEVE

An Irish heritage choice, Maeve makes the list on sound alone; it actually means “intoxicating.” But this rising favorite could be a subtle nod to the season. It’s among the most stylish of baby girl names now.

MAIA and MAYA

Not only is Maya a Roman goddess of spring, but “may” is right there in the name. It might come from the Latin word maior, meaning greater. The name has long been among the top names in the US; the “y” spelling has appeared in the US Top 100 since 2002. In Greek myth, Maia is one of the Pleiades.

MAISIE

Maisie evolved a Scottish nickname for classic name Margaret, but it carries the Mae sound. Maisy is also seen, along with more inventive spellings like Maizy and Mayzie.

MAVIS

Originally a bird name, in use since the late nineteenth century, with a definite, strong May sound.

DOUBLE NAMES

ANNAMAE

It sounds like a name for Dorothy Gale’s BFF out in Kansas, a name both vintage and adventurous.

BELLAMAE

If you like the surname-style Bellamy, but prefer something more clearly in given name territory, Bellamae might appeal.

ELLAMAE

This feels like an inevitable mash-up of two popular short names, and 62 girls received the name in 2023 alone. But that’s still quite rare.

LILYMAE

If April showers bring May flowers, then maybe Lilymae is a logical blend.

LULAMAE

In Truman Capote’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s, we eventually learned that the glamorous Holly Golightly was born the downhome Lula Mae Barnes. I keep waiting for Lula to catch on, so why not Lulamae?

MAYANA

It looks like a May-Ana blend, but Mayana belongs to a plant with colorful leaves. It’s not quite a flower name, but it’s in the same category.

MAYBELLE

This looks like an elaboration of Mabel, but seems designed for a different sound: may belle rather than may BUL. Maebelle works, too.

MAYBLOSSOM

It’s sometimes a plant name, another way to refer to hawthorn. 

Way back in 1884, a play titled May Blossom debuted, about a character named, well, May Blossom. It became a movie. And then a few years later, an unrelated movie was titled Mayblossom. And then in 1964, a character named Mayblossom Haggenappeared on Gunsmoke. None of these uses ever put Mayblossom on parents’ radar, but it’s a delightful, rare May name.

MAYFAIR

Sometimes a surname, Mayfair evolved from May Fair – a traditional fair held during the month. One such event gave its name to the Mayfair neighborhood of London, now one of the most affluent addresses in the world. It’s home to auction houses like Sotheby’s, the tailors of Savile Row, and legendary hotel Claridge’s, to name just a few. As a potential name, Mayfair sounds light and seasonal.

MAYFLOWER

It’s the ship that brought the Pilgrims to the New World, but it’s also another name for the shrubs and trees we also know as hawthorn. Hawthorn, too, could be a perfect May name, but it’s Mayflower that carries the sound.

ROSAMAE

There’s Rosalie and Rosalind, Rosemary and Roseanna. Why not Rosamae? Rose names are plentiful, and this one feels both vintage and vibrant.

SARAMAE

There’s something lovely about this sound, combining the sweet simplicity of Sarah and Mae.

STELLAMAE

Another combination of a popular first and middle, though Stellamae might also nod to the Latin Stellamaris or Stella Maris – Star of the Sea, a title given to Mary.

MODERN MAES

ESMAE

If you love rare names with May in them, Esme might appeal – but spelling it phonetically clears up any pronunciation confusion.

MABRY

Mabry, Maebry, and Maybree seem like the most logical spellings, a mix of traditional Mae and breezy Bree. Surname Mabry may have come from the place name Maybury, or perhaps it’s from the French Montbrai – muddy hill. Regardless of origins, these rare May names have lots of appeal.

MACY

A surname name with multiple possible origins, most Americans probably hear Macy and think of the department store chain. But it’s also a bright, energetic surname name with the sound May front and center.

MAEBY

This name wouldn’t make the list at all, except a few dozen girls were named after the Arrested Development character – and it certainly fits with rare names with May in them. Series creator Mitchell Hurwitz arrived at the rebellious teenage character’s name by blending his daughters’ names: Maisy and Phoebe. While she was nearly always called Maeby, the character’s given name was just Mae.

MAELYNN

You’ll meet Gracelynns and Avalynns, so why not Maelynn? Plenty of spellings are seen.

MAVEN

A bold word name growing in use for girls, Maven comes from a Hebrew word, meaning “one who understands.”

MAVERY

May meets Avery. Also spelled Maevery.

MAYBELLINE

A handful of girls have been named Maybelline dating back to the 1920s. That’s almost certainly thanks to the cosmetics company, founded in 1915, and named for the founder’s sister, Mabel, inspired the company. Chuck Berry recorded “Maybellene” in 1955; some releases of the single misspelled it with an -ine. Berry’s song was based on an older one called “Ida Red.” It evolved into “Ida May” and then the current form.

MAYLEE

Maylee followed Hailee and Kaylee into wider use, a creation from stylish sounds. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016, but has since left again. Spellings like Maylie are seen, too.

MAYS, MAYES

It can be a surname derived from Matthew or even Thomas. It might be a place name. In Arabic, it’s another name for the nettle tree. It fits with so many -s ending choices, especially popular for boys but also heard for our daughters.

MAYSILEE

The Hunger Games gave us dozens of spectacular names, including Katniss and Primrose and Finnick and Rue … and Maysilee. She’s a minor character, but a critical one. Maysilee’s niece, Madge, gives Katniss her famous mockingjay pin.  In prequel Sunrise on the Reaping we meet Maysilee herself.

MAYSON

Masculine surname name Mason has been a favorite for our sons. Some girls have also been named Mason – or Mayson or Maysen.

IMPORTED NAMES WITH MAY IN THEM

MAELLE

Familiar to French speakers, but seldom heard in the US, Maëlle comes from the name of a fifth century saint. It’s derived from a Celtic word meaning prince. The pronunciation – Mae-elle – could work nicely in English, though the French is a little different, more like a drawn-out my-elle. The spelling, though, might prove vexing.

MAELYS

A cousin to Maelle, Maëlys might also relate to Maylis.

MAEVA

It sounds like an elaboration of the Irish Maeve, and maybe that’s sometimes true. But Maeva is also a Tahitian name meaning welcome, popular in French and accessible in English.

MAEWYN

Possibly a masculine name, and sometimes said to be the birth name of towering St. Patrick, Maewyn sounds breezy and unexpected.

MAI, MEI

It means plum in Vietnamese and dance in Japanese, but perhaps it most feels like a culture-spanning choice that works across several languages, including English.

MAJ

It looks like a spare, phonetic version of old school nickname Madge. But Maj is the Swedish and Danish spelling of May, and Maja is Maya in lots of Slavic and Scandi languages. Compound names, like Majfrid (May plus beautiful) and nicknames, like Majken, are heard, too.

MAIALEN

A Basque name, related to the classic Magdalene and Madeline, it’s also the name of well-known poet Maialen Lujanbio, who writes in Basque.

MAYLIS

The name of a French village, Maylis might also come from the name Marie and lys, the French word for lily.

MAYSA

An Arabic name meaning “sparkling star,” Maysa is also spelled Maysaa and Maïssa. Jazz singer Maysa Leak is one notable bearer. In the original, it’s pronounced with three syllables, more like my ee sah. But the spelling suggests this could be a May name, too.

Do you have any favorite May names?

Originally published on May 4, 2012, this post was revised substantially and re-published on May 1, 2018; May 1, 2020; April 8, 2021; April 19, 2023; and March 27, 2025.