Maeve

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A feminine given name of Irish origin ; the legendary warrior queen of Connacht who appears in Irish mythology
2. A girls' first name with Gaelic roots ; a mythical Irish queen of Connacht famed for her role in the Táin Bó Cúailnge
3. A traditional Irish female personal name ; the fierce legendary ruler of Connacht featured in ancient Irish epic tales

Etymology: Maeve is a name rather than a common word, and its story runs back to a queen of ancient Irish legend. Medb, as the name appears in Middle Irish, was the ruler of Connacht in the Ulster Cycle, the body of myths centred on the heroes of Ulster and their conflicts with the rest of Ireland. In the best-known tale, the Táin Bó Cúailnge, she is a formidable and ambitious figure who launches a cattle raid to match the prized bull of a rival king. The name itself is understood to mean "intoxicating," a meaning that fits a queen so bound up with drink and power. Its later form, Meadhbh, shows the same root, and the anglicized spelling "Maeve" reflects how the Irish name was rendered in English. The name is a clear example of how a figure from myth can lend her name to real people long after the stories were first told.