Maya
What does the name Maya mean?
The different meanings of the name Maya are:- Greek meaning: Mother or great one
- Sanskrit meaning: Illusion
- American meaning: Industrious
- Indian meaning: Illusion, Durga
- Latin meaning: The great one; The name of a Roman goddess and a Hindu goddess
- Spanish meaning: Industrious
- Hindu meaning: Divine creative force in all things
- Japanese meaning: Truth; everlasting
- Ethiopian meaning: Eye
Additional information: The name Maya has originated from many different parts of the world, and it’s not certain exactly where it was first used. Maya is mostly taken in English-speaking countries as a variant of the mythological name Maia, usage influenced by the common English word and name "May". It is often thought to have come from Indian/Pakistani origins, where the name has the meaning “illusion” or “princess”. This is largely because of the Hindu roots of the name, where Queen Maya of Sakya is told to be the mother of the Buddha. Maya is also an alternate name for the goddess Durga, who is the goddess of victory of good over evil. It is also a common pet form of Amalia. In Japanese it has various combinations of meanings, such as, “truth” and “everlasting”. It is another name for the Basque goddess Mari. Maya means "illusion" or "enchantment" in Sanskrit and Pāli, (from ma; "not" and ya; "this"). In Hinduism, the name is a term describing many things; the phenomenal world of separate objects and people, which creates for some, the illusion that it is the only reality. In Hindu mythology, Maya is the name of the goddess Devi, the consort of Shiva. Maya in Amharic (common language in Ethiopia) means Eye.
Maya is also a modern Hebrew name, probably also a variant of Greek Maia, but maybe related to Maayan (spring) and to the Aramaic word for water. This name can also be given in reference to a pre-Columbian civilization in southern Mexico and Latin America.
Maya as a name has many other variations because of its wide usage. When used by Arabic or Muslim people it can be spelled as Mya. In Japanese it can be either Mayako or Mayaka, similar to the names Amaya (“night rain”) or Mayu (“truth, reason”). In some Spanish speaking countries it can be used as a short form of the Basque names Amaya or Amaia. Some European countries use it as a form for the names Maria or Mary, sometimes changing the spelling to Maja. Common misspellings include Maia, Maiya, Miya, or Mia.
Around the world Maya has been a popular name for many years. In recent times its popularity has not diminished, as it was in the top 100 charts of the US, UK, Australia, and Canada in 2014. In Canada it was the 2nd most popular name for baby girls in 2014, marking the most popular the name has ever been. In the US the name was not used before 1940 and it did not find popularity until around 1990 when it finally reached the top 500 list.
Famous people with the name Maya include Maya Angelou, the late American author and poet; Maya Rudolph, an actress and comedian; Maya Moore, a basketball player; Maya Jupiter, a female rapper.
Maya is also a modern Hebrew name, probably also a variant of Greek Maia, but maybe related to Maayan (spring) and to the Aramaic word for water. This name can also be given in reference to a pre-Columbian civilization in southern Mexico and Latin America.
Maya as a name has many other variations because of its wide usage. When used by Arabic or Muslim people it can be spelled as Mya. In Japanese it can be either Mayako or Mayaka, similar to the names Amaya (“night rain”) or Mayu (“truth, reason”). In some Spanish speaking countries it can be used as a short form of the Basque names Amaya or Amaia. Some European countries use it as a form for the names Maria or Mary, sometimes changing the spelling to Maja. Common misspellings include Maia, Maiya, Miya, or Mia.
Around the world Maya has been a popular name for many years. In recent times its popularity has not diminished, as it was in the top 100 charts of the US, UK, Australia, and Canada in 2014. In Canada it was the 2nd most popular name for baby girls in 2014, marking the most popular the name has ever been. In the US the name was not used before 1940 and it did not find popularity until around 1990 when it finally reached the top 500 list.
Famous people with the name Maya include Maya Angelou, the late American author and poet; Maya Rudolph, an actress and comedian; Maya Moore, a basketball player; Maya Jupiter, a female rapper.
Categories: American Names, Basque Names, English Names, Ethiopian Names, Greek Mythological Names, Hindu Names, Indian Names, Japanese Names, Latin Names, Mythological Names, Navarre Names, Roman Names, Sanskrit Names, Spanish Names, Unisex Names
Used in: English speaking countries, French speaking countries, Hindi speaking countries, Japanese speaking countries, Spanish speaking countries
Starts with: M
