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Origin, Meaning, And History Of Maya
The name Maya has its origins in various languages such as Sanskrit, Hebrew, Latin, Greek, Maori, and even an extinct language called Tupi. Hence, it is no surprise that the name has an array of meanings. The name Maya in Sanskrit is deeply immersed in religion and spiritualism and means “illusion” and “magic.” It is a popular name for girls in the Hindi language, with its roots in Sanskrit.
In Greek and Roman theology, Maia is the mother of the Olympian God, Hermes. In the Maori language of New Zealand, Maya means “courage,” while in the ancient and now extinct Tupi language of Brazil, it means “mother.” It is a shorter version of the word Amalia or Amaya in Spanish. Maya also refers to the Mesoamerican civilization that existed in Guatemala till the 9th century.
Maja is another version of the name Maya in German and could also mean “splendid.” At the same time, there are even shorter versions of the name Maya such as Mia or Mya. In Burmese, however, the name Mya means “emerald” and is used for both boys and girls.
Just four letters but rich in meaning, the name Maya and its different versions offer a variety of choices for parents looking for a powerful name for their baby girl. It has risen in popularity over the years and has gradually become a familiar name in most countries.
There are a plethora of films named Maya, as well as fictional characters. In the popular Power Rangers series, Maya is the name of the Yellow Power Ranger, who is a tribes girl from the fictional planet Mirinoi. In the 1912 German children’s book The Adventures of Maya the Bee, the protagonist is named Maya. The Marvel Comics character Echo is a native American called Maya Lopez who first appeared in Daredevil comics in 1999.
Maya
How To Pronounce Maya?
Famous People With The Name Maya
- Maya AngelouAfrican-American author and poet
- Mathangi “Maya” ArulpragasamBritish singer/rapper better known as M.I.A
- Maya ErskineAmerican actress
- Maya WileyAmerican civil rights activist and lawyer
- Maya South Korean K-Pop singer
- Maya StojanSwiss actress
- Maya RudolphAmerican actress and Saturday Night Live cast member
- Maya MooreAmerican basketball player
- Maya HawkeAmerican actress
- Maya DerenAmerican avant-garde filmmaker
Maya On The Popularity Chart
The name Maya has seen a steady rise in popularity since the 1990s. Take a look at the graphic representation below to learn about its popularity.
Popularity Over Time
From 390 babies per million being named Maya in 1980, there was a spike in its popularity in 1990, with 690 babies getting the name Maya. The name continued to grow in popularity, hitting an all-time high in 2006, with 5047 babies being named Maya.
Source: Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
Ranking as low as 747 in 1986, Maya improved upon its popularity, reaching 57 in 2006. Its highest ranking so far is 55, recorded in 2021. Maya has remained in the top 500 names for babies since 1990. Find out more from the graph below.
Source: Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Maya
If you want your baby’s name to start with a different letter but love how Maya sounds, look no further. Check out the list below for more options.
Names With Same Meaning As Maya
There is no denying the beauty the name Maya carries, but you may want a different name for your younger baby girl with the same meaning as Maya. Take a look at the list below.
Name Numerology For Maya
