Selecting a unique middle name for May is a journey deeply rooted in family tradition, with potential inspirations stemming from the natural world and historical influences.
May, often a variation of the name Mae, has an English origin and ties back to the Latin word for the fifth month, symbolizing new beginnings. Some believe it to be derived from the Roman goddess or the image of a purple flower, representing beauty and rebirth.
In recent years, there’s been a resurgence in choosing one-syllable names, like May, and pairing them with beautiful names from varied backgrounds.
Whether you’re looking to pay tribute to a loved one, or find a name that complements May’s simplicity and grace, this list of inspiring middle names is the perfect way to find that special moniker.
What Does The Name May Mean?
May is a female English-given name. It is derived from the month’s name, which is derived from Maia, a Roman fertility goddess. May is also a pet version of the names Mary and Margaret.
People believe that the name of their children can have an impact on their future success in life. It can also have a bearing on a child, what their name means. As a result, people often choose names based on their meanings, believing that the meaning of the child’s name may reflect the nature of the child or influence the child later on.
How Do You Pronounce May?
May is pronounced as /MAY/.
What are middle names for?
Middle names can be used to reflect the uniqueness of your child. They can also be chosen based on the meaning of the name, reflect family history or traditions or just be a name you love.
Finding the perfect middle name can be hard. Whether you choose to go with the most common middle names or opt for a baby name that’s a little unique, you need to ensure they sound good with your baby’s name and last name, in order to get the perfect baby name! Choosing popular middle names is OK, but only if they are your favorite names.
Always remember to write the full name out, and sound it out a few times with all first and middle names and your family name options together. Most people can agonise over the full name for months, so don’t panic!
Often people can make the middle name a nickname later on or even you can put the initials together to form a new name, for example, May Anothonette could become MA!
Research has also indicated that having middle names improves people’s chances of getting a better job in the future! According to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, people who have middle names are believed to have a high social position and to be intellectually superior.
Famous People Called May
- May Allison (1890–1989), American actress
- May Allison (athlete) (born 1964), Canadian runner
- May Chow, Canadian chef
- May Gibbs (1877–1969), Australian children’s author and illustrator
- May Golan (born 1986), Israeli politician, political activist and commentator
- May Hollinworth (1895–1968), Australian theatre producer and director
- May J. (born 1988), Japanese singer
- May McAvoy (1899–1984), American actor
- May W. Newburger (1920–2012), New York politician
- May Robson (1858–1942), Australian actress
How Common is the Name May?
The name May was given to a child on August 7th, 1863, according to the Social Security Administration’s birth record database.
May is the 1,043rd most popular name in the history of the world. Between 1880 and 2019, the Social Security Administration recognized 49,189 babies born in the United States with the first name May. The year 1919 saw the most newborns given the name May, with a total of 981.
How to Choose the Perfect Name to go With May
The most appropriate middle name for May is the one that blends nicely with her first and last names. For example, choose the middle names you want for May from the list below and jot them down on a piece of paper.
Say the names out loud with May at the start. For example, May Ann. Remove any names that are strange, bizarre, or difficult to pronounce.
Step 2 should be repeated, but this time include the last name and listen to how it sounds. Delete any further names that don’t sound suitable.
Examine the initials of the remaining names and identify the ones that work particularly well together. Make certain that it does not sound absurd or harsh. Consider looking for ones that can be given nicknames when they are grouped together.
By the time you are finished with steps 1-4, you will have cut down the selection to a manageable amount of options that will assist you in deciding on the ideal middle name for May.
50 Best Middle Names for May
We’ve pulled together the best girl’s names that pair with the name May. Here’s our list of unique middle names:
| 1 | May Jocelyn |
| 2 | May Mckenna |
| 3 | May Abigail |
| 4 | May Lexi |
| 5 | May Catalina |
| 6 | May Diana |
| 7 | May Eden |
| 8 | May Elizabeth |
| 9 | May Maeve |
| 10 | May Sara |
| 11 | May Juliana |
| 12 | May Catherine |
| 13 | May Hadley |
| 14 | May Angelina |
| 15 | May Sabrina |
| 16 | May Julianna |
| 17 | May Journey |
| 18 | May Aurora |
| 19 | May Marley |
| 20 | May Lennon |
| 21 | May Trinity |
| 22 | May Ruth |
| 23 | May Francesca |
| 24 | May Anna |
| 25 | May Alexandria |
| 26 | May Georgia |
| 27 | May Brinley |
| 28 | May Kaia |
| 29 | May Fatima |
| 30 | May Amy |
| 31 | May Camryn |
| 32 | May Nyla |
| 33 | May Jessica |
| 34 | May Angela |
| 35 | May Eliza |
| 36 | May Sadie |
| 37 | May Bianca |
| 38 | May Natalia |
| 39 | May Scarlet |
| 40 | May Nadia |
| 41 | May Ava |
| 42 | May Jacqueline |
| 43 | May Kyla |
| 44 | May Elise |
| 45 | May Amara |
| 46 | May Juliette |
| 47 | May Brooklyn |
| 48 | May June |
| 49 | May Thea |
| 50 | May Joy |
First Name for Middle Name May
If you have already decided on May as the middle name you might be looking for the perfect first name as May makes a great middle name. We have our top 10 here!
| Eve May |
| Jordan May |
| Meadow May |
| Emery May |
| Natalie May |
| Gracelyn May |
| Emory May |
| Maeve May |
| Aniyah May |
| Natalia May |
If you like May as a middle name, you might want to look at good middle names for Mercedes
10 Classic Middle Names That Go Well With May
| May Olive |
| May Myrtle |
| May Genevieve |
| May Beatrice |
| May Iris |
| May Imogen |
| May Jane |
| May Arabella |
| May Lily |
| May Nora |
10 Modern Names That Go With May
| May Page |
| May Remington |
| May Rylan |
| May Riley |
| May Lila |
| May Reese |
| May Sage |
| May Lane |
| May Salem |
| May Remi |
10 Unusual Girl Names That Go With May
| May Keegan |
| May Yvette |
| May Brinley |
| May Teegan |
| May Xael |
| May Emerson |
| May Miya |
| May Maren |
| May Makena |
| May Zaylee |
European Names That Match the Name May
If you love European names or even have European ancestry we’ve compiled the best Irish, French, Spanish, Italian, German and Polish names to go with May. We’ve kept these spelt in their original authentic way, but you can always update the spelling if you prefer.
7 Irish Girl Names That Go with May
| May Sorcha (sur-ka) |
| May Eimear (ee-mur) |
| May Fiadh (fee-a) |
| May Deirdre (deer-dra) |
| May Sinead (shin-ade) |
| May Aoibhe (ey-va) |
| May Aisling (ash-ling) |
7 French Names to Go with May
| May Rosalie |
| May Noémie |
| May Isabelle |
| May Sirine |
| May Marie-Thérèse |
| May Lilou |
| May Chantal |
7 Spanish Names That Go Well with May
| May Chloe |
| May Ivanna |
| May Sara |
| May Lola |
| May Mariana |
| May Zoe |
| May Miranda |
7 Italian Middle Names for May
| May Greta |
| May Roberta |
| May Elena |
| May Emma |
| May Valeria |
| May Eleonora |
| May Giuliana |
7 German Middle Names for May
| May Emmi |
| May Marta |
| May Irma |
| May Hedwig |
| May Emilie |
| May Elisabeth |
| May Alma |
7 Polish Middle Names for May
| May Mariola |
| May Grażynka |
| May Celestyna |
| May Ewa |
| May Karolina |
| May Hildegarda |
| May Barbara |
Names of Certain Length
If you have a long or short surname, you might want to choose middle names with just 1, 2 or 3 syllables, we’ve got the best of each to help you choose the best middle name for your child.
7 Names for May with One Syllable
| May Eve |
| May Quinn |
| May Faith |
| May Hope |
| May Liv |
| May Bree |
| May Lynn |
7 Names for May with 2 Syllables
| May Ruby |
| May Riley |
| May Eden |
| May Grainne |
| May Ava |
| May Sadie |
| May Maggie |
7 Names for May with 3 Syllables
| May Naomi |
| May Evelyn |
| May Lorelei |
| May Isabel |
| May Miriam (see names that go with Miriam) |
| May Katherine |
| May Violet |
Names for May with the Same Initial
| May Macy |
| May Mira |
| May Madilyn |
| May Mary |
| May Malani |
| May Mckenna |
| May Maria |
7 Names for May Starting with A Vowel
| May Esmeralda |
| May Elizabeth |
| May Eve |
| May Oakley |
| May Amara |
| May Adalyn |
| May Eloise |
Nicknames for May
May is often given the following nicknames:
- Mary
- Maya
- Maia
Different Ways to Spell May
- Mae
- Mai
- Maya
- Maia
Similar Names Like May
- June
- April
- Joy
- Mae
- Mary
- Jean
- Lilac
- Hope
Sibling Names for May
If you already have a child named May, you might be looking for some great sister or brother names that go with it. We’ve compiled some classic names that go together really well with May.
Sister Names for May
If you already have a baby May, and she’s going to be an older sister, then we’ve come up with some gorgeous sister names!
| May & Lyla |
| May & Lucia |
| May & Elliana |
| May & Willa |
| May & Maliyah |
| May & Phoenix |
| May & Veronica |
| May & Mila |
| May & Isabel |
| May & Skye |
Brother Names for May
If you are expecting a baby boy, and already have a May then check out our boy names that will match your baby girl!
| May & Kendrick |
| May & Kingsley |
| May & Joseph |
| May & Aries |
| May & Davian |
| May & Mccoy |
| May & Tadeo |
| May & Hakeem |
| May & Ashton |
| May & Wesley |
Take Away For Baby Name May
The most appropriate middle name for May is the one that blends nicely with her first and last names. For example, choose from our list of 50 best girl’s names to go along with May or make up your own! Make sure it isn’t too difficult to pronounce, but also doesn’t sound absurd when you say them all together. The perfect choice will be a great blend of meaningful yet not overbearing – just like this beautiful name itself.
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