Rising since 1990, #2,298 for girls today.
Popularity of Maelee since 1970
Babies named Maelee per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 48 |
| 2000s | 295 |
| 2010s | 773 |
| 2020s | 466 |
Meaning & origin
Maelee is a modern name creation that combines the familiar nickname Mae with the popular suffix Lee, resulting in a soft, melodic name. First recorded in 1970 at rank 2298, the name stayed very rare for decades but began a notable climb after 1990. By 2025, it had a 1-in-20345 frequency among girls, having reached its peak popularity in 2024. The name is most popular in Oklahoma, Alabama, and Georgia, reflecting regional preferences for modern, blended feminine names. Maelee fits a broader trend of names ending in -ee or -leigh that rose sharply in the 2020s.
Maelee is a modern invented name, blending the nickname Mae (derived from Mary or Margaret) with the suffix Lee (from Old English leah 'clearing, meadow'). It follows a contemporary trend of creating melodic, two-syllable names with feminine associations. The name first appeared in U.S. records in 1970 but gained noticeable usage only in the late 2010s and 2020s.
Where Maelee is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mae, Lee, Mae Mae
Sibling names for Maelee
Names that share Maelee's style, for a brother or sister.
