Mab is a female name best known as the name of the queen of the fairies in William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet (1596), where she is described as a mischievous, dream-bringing figure. The name's origin is uncertain, but it is possibly derived from Mabel, a medieval diminutive of Amabel (meaning 'lovable'), or from the Irish name Medb, which means 'intoxicating' and is the root of the modern name Maeve. Shakespeare's use popularized the name in English literature, leading to its appearance in Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem Queen Mab (1813), where Mab is a fairy who expounds a philosophical vision of the world. Cultural Significance In Romeo and Juliet, Queen Mab is introduced by Mercutio in a famous monologue as a tiny fairy who brings dreams to sleepers—lovers dream of love, courtiers dream of curtsies, and soldiers dream of battles. This portrayal has made Mab an iconic figure in English folklore-inspired literature. Later, the name was used for a moon of Uranus (discovered in 2003), continuing the tradition of naming Uranian moons after Shakespearean characters. In Welsh, y Mab means 'the Son,' referring to Jesus Christ in theological contexts, but this use is distinct from the female given name. Meaning: Uncertain; possibly derived from Mabel ('lovable') or Medb/Maeve ('intoxicating') Origin: Literary, invented by William Shakespeare Type: Fictional character name, used occasionally as a given name Usage Regions: English-speaking world (especially literary context)