Amaya, a variant of the name Amaia, comes from the Basque name Amaia, meaning "the end." It was popularized by "The Real World: Hawaii" contestant, Amaya Brecher, in 1999, the same year it appeared inside the Social Security Administration's top 1,000. It was the 400th most popular girl's name that year, but has since risen in popularity and has been a top 200 name since 2017. Actress Mariska Hargitay and actor Peter Hermann welcomed a daughter, Amaya Josephine, in 2011. Retired NBA player Al Harrington also has a daughter named Amaya, whom he shares with wife Michelle.
