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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Mae or May

45 replies

NC2315 · 22/11/2023 09:58

Baby girl was born over the weekend, first name was already chosen and we've settled on Mae/May as middle. I prefer Mae (I think)
Opinions?

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Strawberrycheesecake7 · 24/11/2023 11:01

Since she wasn’t born in May, personally I would go with the Mae spelling. I don’t really understand the negativity. It’s only a middle name. Middle names aren’t that important and aren’t even known most of the time so just go with whatever you like.

ChristmasShopping23 · 23/11/2023 14:51

It can’t be that unpopular as it’s so common!

Bobtheamazinggingerdog · 23/11/2023 14:48

Neither - please pick something else! But if you insist, May

user1492757084 · 23/11/2023 08:28

I prefer May.... for no reason.
May is short for Mary.
Would you like Mary or another diminutive such as Polly, Molly, Mara or Maisie.

Sugarfree23 · 23/11/2023 00:57

I prefer May.

Other names to consider that are a little less popular Mary, Fay, and Eve.

JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 23/11/2023 00:50

My DD has Mae as her middle name as a tribute to her grandmother who also had Mae as her middle name.

As most people don't even know what other people's middle names are I don't understand the negativity on this thread,

Congratulations on your baby OP. Give her the name you want to give her.

theduchessofspork · 23/11/2023 00:15

May

It’s done to death as a middle name but go for the classic spelling of you are set on it. I think Mae is best left to Mae West, or the sort of parents who think Lexi-Mae is a good idea.

But I’d think of something else if you can

TheKnittedCharacter · 22/11/2023 20:04

Neither. Both awful. Especially Mae.

SiennaMillar · 22/11/2023 20:04

Congratulations! Not a fan of Mae

FMLife · 22/11/2023 20:03

How about Yam? At least it’s original.

ShazzaF · 22/11/2023 14:50

KirstenBlest · 22/11/2023 12:45

It's funny how many post that the Rose/May/Grace middle name is after the baby's grandmother, when the 3 names weren't in the slightest bit popular in the time when the grandmothers were born.

Two of my great grandmothers had Mae/May as a middle name hence why my mother chose it. So it can't have been that unusual...

somethingisnotquiteright · 22/11/2023 14:44

KirstenBlest · 22/11/2023 12:45

It's funny how many post that the Rose/May/Grace middle name is after the baby's grandmother, when the 3 names weren't in the slightest bit popular in the time when the grandmothers were born.

My mums middle name is May, she's 64.

She was named after her grandmother whose middle name was May, she would have been born in early 1900's.

My daughter's middle name is May after my mum.

To all of you saying how awful the name is/how every other girl has May as a middle names..what's it to you? Does it impact your lives in anyway? I'm guessing not. I'm sure you'd be a bit miffed if someone came along and started ripping your kids names to shreds.

marshmallowfinder · 22/11/2023 14:26

It's utterly boring. Why not Fay or Faith instead? MUCH nicer.

fortifiedwithtea · 22/11/2023 14:22

My 21 year old middle name is Mae after her great aunt who was chuffed to bits that we thought of her whilst naming our DD2

KirstenBlest · 22/11/2023 14:12

Maeve is just as bad

rainbowsparkle28 · 22/11/2023 13:44

Mae.

Moveoverdarlin · 22/11/2023 13:44

Really don’t like either, but I’d go May. There are squillions of Lily Mays, Rosie Mays, Daisy Mays, Olivia May, Isla May. It’s just so unimaginative.

Oldandcobwebby · 22/11/2023 13:40

May. Unless you are American.

GasDrivenNun · 22/11/2023 13:19

What about Maeve with Mae as a nickname?

KirstenBlest · 22/11/2023 12:45

It's funny how many post that the Rose/May/Grace middle name is after the baby's grandmother, when the 3 names weren't in the slightest bit popular in the time when the grandmothers were born.

jolene8 · 22/11/2023 12:38

Neither, they are both so dull and as PP said, cheap 🥱

LightDrizzle · 22/11/2023 12:28

Gracie-Mae x3
Ava-Mae x1
Evie-Mae x2
– and I don’t know many children under 20.

ChickenBhunaandChips · 22/11/2023 12:24

May/Mae had been done to death. Every girl and I really mean every girl has May/Rose/Grace as a middle name. It’s so overused it’s dull.

There are so many Evie Mays, Lily Mays, Isla May, Olivia Mays, Ivy Mays, Poppy Mays….

KirstenBlest · 22/11/2023 12:11

May was a diminutive of Mary. Molly, Polly, Maisie etc are alternatives.
The hawthorn flowers were named after the month, not the other way round.

May as a middle name seems frumpy, and Mae as pp has a cheapish vibe.

piscofrisco · 22/11/2023 12:05

Mae is the old English spelling for the white flowers that appear on Hawthorn hedges in spring incidentally-not for the month-so it's not tacky or new fangled-in fact the total opposite. It might be a bit overused but that's because it's pretty I suppose an goes well with lots of other names.

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