Maelys, written Maëlys in France, is a French girls' name formed from the Breton name Maël, which means "prince" or "chief", with an ending borrowed from names like Lys, "lily". It appeared in France in the 1990s and became one of the most popular names there in the 2000s and 2010s. American parents have discovered it only recently: Maelys ranked number 4533 in 2024 and jumped to number 2636 in 2025, its best position yet, with 66 girls.