Maeby ranks 1777 in the pet name registry with 57 records, strongly female. The spelling says everything: M-a-e-b-y is the deliberate orthographic signature of Maeby Fünke from Arrested Development, the Fox sitcom that ran 2003-2006. Any pet carrying this spelling is named after the show.
The Arrested Development Connection
Maeby Fünke, played by Alia Shawkat, was a teenage schemer whose defining trait was audacious confidence in situations that should have overwhelmed her. Her name — a deliberate play on maybe — was itself a joke about the Bluth family's chronic indecision. Owners naming pets Maeby are signaling their affection for the series. Browse female pet names in the pop-culture reference tier for comparable choices.
Sound and Wearability
MAY-bee. Two syllables, impossible to mispronounce despite the non-standard spelling, rising tone that animals respond to well. Cats suit this name particularly — the show's dry wit and a cat's studied self-regard make for a coherent character statement. Domestic shorthair cat names in the personality-forward register cluster here.
The Counter-Reading: Spelling Explains the Rarity
Most people who think of maybe as a pet name spell it Maeby only if they know the show. What looks like rarity is partly a fan-community spelling signature. Check if the human name equivalent exists in the baby register before assuming the concept is purely a pet invention.