Dog name guide

Mae

The meaning, background and naming story of Mae.

Letters
3
Syllables
1Dictionary reading
Starts with
M

Meaning and background

The story behind Mae

Mae is an English spelling variant of May and is pronounced like the month name. May can itself be a calendar-inspired name, connected ultimately with the Roman goddess Maia, but it has also served as a nickname for Mary, Margaret or Mabel. Those are separate name paths, not one universal translation of Mae. Its single syllable makes an economical, easily recognisable choice for a dog.

Origin
English spelling variant of May; May may be month-inspired or used as a diminutive of Mary, Margaret or Mabel. Source
Pronunciation
English: /meɪ/. Source

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About Mae

Recorded as a dog’s name

Mae appears in 10 dog licence records in the 2026 New York City dataset.

How to read this count

These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.

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Pronunciation and rhythm

/meɪ/

US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.

Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.

View dictionary notation

/meɪ/ · primary stress on syllable 1
M EY1

These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.

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Sources and research notes (2)

References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.

More names to consider

Suggestions by sound, written form or existing editorial selections. Similarity does not imply a shared origin.

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