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Mael

Mael: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“chief or prince”
Origin
Celtic
Say it
mah-EL · 2 syllables
Used for
Boys

From the old Celtic name element mael, used in Breton names such as Maël; it is generally interpreted as 'chief' or 'prince.' In older Gaelic contexts, similar forms can also relate to 'tonsured devotee,' so usage varies by tradition.

Irish namesFrench namesNames meaning royaltyNames meaning nobleClassic namesInternational namesShort names

How popular is Mael?

202462.0 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Mael in 2024206

2024 rank#1,058 boys

Peak year2023

Total US babies since 18801,155

Mael is rising: use over the last five years is 9.1× what it was a decade earlier.

Names like Mael

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • GaelGaelic person · Celtic
  • Arthurmeaning uncertain · Celtic
  • Alanuncertain; possibly little rock or handsome · Celtic
  • Tristantumult; outcry · Celtic
  • Bryanhigh, noble · Celtic
  • Brycespeckled · Celtic
  • Kanewarrior · Celtic
  • Allenlittle rock; handsome · Celtic

Mael questions

What does the name Mael mean?

Mael means "chief or prince". It comes from Celtic. From the old Celtic name element mael, used in Breton names such as Maël; it is generally interpreted as 'chief' or 'prince.' In older Gaelic contexts, similar forms can also relate to 'tonsured devotee,' so usage varies by tradition.

Is Mael a boy or girl name?

Mael is mainly a boy's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Mael?

206 US babies were named Mael in 2024. Its peak year was 2023.

How do you pronounce Mael?

Mael is usually pronounced mah-EL.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.