Alternatives to Maeve

Maeve has long seen usage as a name in Ireland alongside associating herself with a few legendary queens. Her usage recently spread into the English-speaking world; the name has entered the United States top 1000 in 1997 and the top 100 in 2023.

Alongside her Celtic heritage and legendary feminist background, Maeve sounds soft and feminine without being dainty or girly. She is also nickname-proof, a quality of most single-syllable names. 

Prospective parents who find Maeve too popular, alongside casual name fans, will find this list of alternatives useful. The following names, all ranking below the top 100, capture enough of the name's appeal to win parents over:

Bethan is a Welsh diminutive of classic Elizabeth. The "beth" sound makes this soft name feminine enough, while the ending prevents her from crossing into "girly" territory.

Blythe has the same soft sound and lack of nicknames as Maeve. While this name has no legendary origin, Blythe brings up Gilbert of Anne of Green Gables.

Branwen is a Welsh name connecting herself to the mythological daughter of Llyr, who messaged King Brân of Britain after suffering mistreatment from her husband. She is also nearly nickname-proof.

Circe appears in Homer's Odyssey as a sorcerer who turned Odysseus's crew into hogs. Her backstory may be dark, but Maeve's mythology is not too different. It helps that, as a soft name, Circe has a powerful sound and no need for shortening. 

Clove connects to a female character in The Hunger Games, giving her a similar warrior woman vibe as Maeve. She has the same soft feminine sound and nickname-proof quality as well. 

Fleur is the French word for "flower" that sounds less girly than Flora and more nickname-proof than Florence. She also sounds soft, but associations such as a fourteenth-century French saint and the protagonist of John Galsworthy's The Forsyte Saga novels give her strength.

Guinevere is much longer than Maeve, but this Cornish name has a similar strong feminine vibe and connects to Arthurian legends. 

Gwyneth is a variant of the name for a Welsh kingdom, Gwynedd. As with Maeve, she has a soft, feminine sound without frills. Associations such as Welsh novelist Gwyneth Vaughan (1852-1910) and American actor Paltrow (1972-) add to the name's strength. 

Isolde connects to an Irish princess in the medieval German poem, Tristan, by Gottfried von Strassburg. Meaning "ice hill," Isolde has the same soft sound and strong image combination as Maeve. 

Mabyn is a Cornish name connecting to a sixth-century saint. She is feminine in usage and sound, but also tailored. Mabyn can also update Megan and Morgan.

Mairead is the Scottish Gaelic form of classic Margaret with a much smoother sound. She also maintains the classic form's feminine-but-not-girly vibe. 

Mirren is a Scottish form of Marion who does not easily lead to nicknames. The short "i" sound gives this feminine name solid ground. 

Moira is another five-letter Irish name with a smooth, feminine but frills-free sound. She does not lend herself to nicknames, either.

Morrigan, in Celtic mythology, ruled over war and death and often took the form of a crow. Her name also means "queen," bringing it closer to Maeve.  

Neve was the daughter of the sea god who fell in love with Fionn mac Cumhaill's son in Irish legend. She has Maeve's soft sound and nickname-proof charm as well. 

Olwen, in Welsh mythology, connects to Cuhlwch's lover. Unlike many a romantic name, she does not lead to nicknames. 

Phaedra was the daughter of Minos in Greek mythology. Her story, as with Circe, is dark, but her soft feminine sound and meaning of "bright" are positives. 

Rhiannon connects to a Celtic mythological (in her case, Welsh) queen, as Maeve does. 

Rhona is a Scottish name sounding fit for a warrior queen (despite there being no associations) thanks to the beginning "rh." She is smooth and feminine, but sounds dignified rather than girly. 

Seren is a Welsh name with a brief history and a soft sound, alongside an "en" ending that prevents her from sounding dainty. 

Sive is the anglicization of Irish Sadb, who got turned into a deer in Irish mythology. This soft nickname-proof name has a long history in Ireland and is ripe for import. 

Stroma is a smooth name that connects to an uninhabited Scottish island, giving it a haunting aura. She also shortens to no nicknames, well, maybe except for "Stro." 

Sylvie has Maeve's soft feminine sound, alongside feeling like a name for forest fairies. The only fairy tale association this name has, though, is Lewis Carroll's novel Sylvie and Bruno. 

Vaila connects to a small island off of Scotland. It has Maeve's "v" and long "a" sound alongside not leading to nicknames. 

What alternative names would you add?