A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Mame since 1880
Babies named Mame per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 2002, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Mame's real moment was 1881.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 144 |
| 1890s | 78 |
| 1900s | 0 |
| 1910s | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 0 |
| 1990s | 47 |
| 2000s | 187 |
| 2010s | 130 |
| 2020s | 76 |
Meaning & origin
Mame is an English diminutive of Mary, a name with ancient Hebrew roots. It first appeared in U.S. records in 1880 and peaked in popularity the following year in 1881. After a long period of disuse, Mame has been gradually rising again since 1989, though it remains rare: in 2025, only about 1 in 69,881 newborn girls received the name, and it ranked 5,410 overall. The name was most common in the state of New York, consistent with its late-19th-century popularity in the Northeast. Its revival may reflect a broader trend of reviving vintage names from the 1880s. While historically a nickname, Mame stands on its own as a concise and distinctive choice.
Mame originated as a pet form of the name Mary, deriving from the Hebrew name Miriam. It was used in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, often as a nickname. The name saw a spike in popularity in 1881, and after a long decline, it has been rising again since 1989, possibly influenced by cultural references.
Where Mame is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state, 2025. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Mame” around the world
Where Mame lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
30
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Sibling names for Mame
Names that share Mame's style, for a brother or sister.
