Maya

Girl Sanskrit/Greek /MY-ah/ #50 in 2023

Maya is a girl name of Sanskrit/Greek origin.

Meaning of Maya

Illusion; water; good mother. Hindu concept and Greek mother of Hermes.

Popularity of Maya

Popularity, 1940–2023

4,085 births in 2023

1940 2023

115,619 U.S. births recorded from 1940–2023.

Peak year

2006

5,047 babies

First recorded

1940

83 years of history

Recent trend

Steady

Last 5 yrs vs. prior 5

Variants & nicknames

MajaMaia

Related guide

Arabic Names That Work in English Without Explanation

25 Arabic names that American teachers, doctors, and neighbors pronounce correctly on the first try. For families who want heritage without the daily spelling bee.

Read the full guide →

Famous people named Maya

Maya Angelou (poet)

Similar names

Michael

Boy · Hebrew

Who is like God? A rhetorical name honoring the archangel

Mary

Girl · Hebrew

Bitter; beloved; wished-for child

Matthew

Boy · Hebrew

One of the twelve Apostles

Mark

Boy · Latin

Also called John Mark, the first patriarch of Alexandria, credited with the authorship of the Gospel of Mark

Margaret

Girl · Ancient Greek

A river in southwestern Western Australia, presumed named for a cousin of John Garrett Bussell, founder of Busselton

Michelle

Girl · Hebrew

Popular from the 1960s to the 1990s

Melissa

Girl · Arabic

Melissa is a feminine given name

Maria

Girl · Arabic

Maria is a feminine given name

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.