Mae is a spelling variant of May, a famous bearer being the American actress Mae West. May originates in Latin language and is taken from the name of the 5th month in the year, between April and June. The name of the month was derived from Maia, the Greek goddess of fertility. Some sources also suggest it is used as a diminutive of names such as Mary or Margaret. As a feminine given name it used to be very popular in the United States but lately has declined.