Breton boy name
Maël Name Meaning, Origin & Pronunciation
Maël means prince, chief. From the Breton mael, meaning prince or chief
Maël is a Breton name that comes from an old word for prince or chief. It has been strongly revived in Brittany and in France in recent decades and has become one of the most popular Breton boys' names. The two dots over the e show that the vowels are pronounced separately. It has a short, bright sound and is easy to carry in both French and English. It also gave rise to the girls' names Maëlle and Maëlys, so brothers and sisters can share the same root.
Variants of Maël
MaeligMaëlig
Maël popularity: Ireland vs the US
In 2025 Maël ranked #1,104 in the US (195 babies). It is too rare to appear in Irish rankings.
United States (boys)
Rank among babies of the same sex, 1 = most popular (log scale). Ranks below #10,000 sit on the bottom edge. Gaps mean fewer than 3 Irish or 5 US babies that year.
Data: US Social Security Administration (public domain) and Central Statistics Office, Ireland (CC BY 4.0). Irish accented spellings (such as Síle) are only recorded from 2018, so earlier years combine spellings.
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Maël mean?
Maël means "prince, chief". From the Breton mael, meaning prince or chief.
How do you pronounce Maël?
Maël is pronounced mah-EL.
What is the origin of Maël?
Maël is of Breton origin. From the Breton mael, meaning prince or chief.