maya

Pronunciation
MAY-ə

Gender
female

Origin

Sanskrit; Greek; Hebrew

Ranking

  50 (as of 2023)

Meaning: Illusion; Magic; Good mother; Water

The name Maya can have a variety of meanings depending on its origin. For example, Maya means "illusion" or "magic" in Sanskrit and "good mother" in Greek. It can also be a water-inspired name that comes from the Hebrew word mayim, meaning "water." Maya first appeared in the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 for girl names in 1970. It started gaining popularity in the 1990s and has now been a top-100 girl's name every year since 2002 before debuting inside the top-50 for the first time in 2023. It's the name "Wonder Woman" actress Gal Gadot gave her daughter Maya, born in 2017, and the name "Precious" star Gabourey Sidibe gave one of her twins, born in 2024. Other variations include Maia, Mia, Mya, Maiya and Maja.

Famous People Named Maya

  Maya Angelou

  Renowned poet and civil rights activist known for her inspiring works.

  Maya Lin

  Architect and designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

  Maya Moore

  Professional basketball player and advocate for criminal justice reform.

  Maya Rudolph

  Comedian and actress known for her work on Saturday Night Live.

  Maya Gabeira

  Big wave surfer who holds the world record for the largest wave ever surfed by a woman.

  Maya Soetoro-Ng

  Educator and peace advocate, known for her work in promoting global understanding.

  Maya Penn

  Young entrepreneur, animator, and environmental activist.

  Maya DiRado

  Olympic swimmer who won multiple medals for the United States.

  Maya Plisetskaya

  Legendary ballet dancer known for her artistry and innovation.

  Maya Harris

  Lawyer and public policy advocate known for her work on civil rights issues.

Famous Media with people Named Maya

    Maya the Bee

    A children's book and animated series about a curious bee named Maya.  

    Maya & Miguel

    A children's television show about the adventures of twin siblings.  

    Maya and the Three

    An animated fantasy series about a warrior princess named Maya.  

    Maya's First Rose

    A children's book about a young girl named Maya and her garden adventures.  

    Maya's World

    A series of children's books by Maya Angelou about kids from different cultures.  

    Maya the Bee Movie

    An animated film about Maya, a bee who is always curious and adventurous.  

    Maya Quest

    An educational computer game exploring the ancient Maya civilization.  

    Maya's Story

    A children's book about a girl named Maya who learns about friendship and kindness.  

    Maya and the Turtle

    A Korean fairy tale retold by Soma Han and John C. Stickler.  

    Maya's Blanket

    A bilingual children's book about a girl's special blanket and its transformations.