Meaning & origin
A reliable meaning for Mame isn’t established in our sources yet. Rather than guess, we show what is recorded: how the name is used, how often, and the names it’s connected to.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Mame through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 672
- 0 boys · 672 girls
- Most popular year
- 2002
- 29 babies
- 2025
- 23
- #5,503 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +15%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 23 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 5,503 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 14.8% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 29 in 2002. In 2025, New York had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (10). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 980 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Mame’s family of names
Mame has a related form in Mamie. In Greek usage, Mame as a surname is a transliteration of Μαμέ.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
People named Mame
- Mame Biram DioufSenegalese association football playerborn 1987
- Mame ThiamSenegalese association football playerborn 1992
- Mame Younousse DiengSenegalese writer (1939–2016)
- Mame Diodio DioufSenegalese basketball player (born 1984)
- Mame Bineta SaneSenegalese actressborn 2000
- Mame NiangSenegalese footballerborn 1984
- Mame N'DiayeSenegalese association football playerborn 1986
- Mame KhanIndian playback and folk singer
- Mame Diarra BoussoMurid saint, mother of Ahmadu Bamba1833–1866
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Mame, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Macy
“one who wields a weapon”
>99% girls
Marlee
“of the marshy meadow”
2% boys · 98% girls
Maggie
“resembling a pearl” · “the child of light”
>99% girls
Mackenzie
Mackenzie is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “daughter of a wise leader; a fiery woman; one who is fair” and “the son of a wise leader; a fiery man; one who is fair”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
3% boys · 97% girls
Makenna
“daughter of the handsome man” · “the son of Kenna; to ascend”
>99% girls
Macie
“one who wields a weapon” · “one who wields the medieval weapon”
>99% girls
Madeleine
“woman from Magdala”
>99% girls
Marianna
“beloved” · “beloved of the god Amun”
>99% girls