Maya (given name)

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Maya Given Name
Pronunciation	Mah-yah, May-a, My-a
Gender	female
Meaning	"illusion" in Sanskrit; "spring" in Hebrew; short form of Maria; Spanish short form of Amalia or Amaia; Greek and Roman mythology name; name of the Maya peoples, a tribe indigenous to southern Mexico and northern Central America and a group of Indigenous Australians; various Japanese meanings including "truth" or "night rain."
Region of Origin	Multiple places
Origin	Multiple origins
Related names	Maia, Maija, Maja, Mia, Miya, Miyah, Mya, Myah
Wikipedia articles	All pages beginning with Maya

Maya is a feminine name with multiple meanings. In Hindu mythology Māyā (माया in Sanskrit) means "illusion" and is also an alternate name of the Hindu goddess Durga. According to tradition, Queen Māyā of Sakya was also the name of the mother of Siddartha Gautama, the Buddha. In Hebrew, the name Maya (מַיָּה in Hebrew) is a short form of "ma'ayan," meaning "spring" or "brook." It is also used as a variant form of the Greek-origin name Maia (Μαια in Ancient Greek), the eldest of the Pleiades in Greek and Roman mythology. It can also be a name used as a tribute to the Maya peoples of southern Mexico and northern Central America or to the Maya, a group of Indigenous Australians. Sometimes spelled Maja, it can also be used as a short form of Maria or Mary in Germany, Scandinavian countries, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia. Maya is also used as a short form for the name Amalia or the Basque name Amaia or Amaya (meaning "the end") in Spanish-speaking countries. Maya can also be a name of Japanese origin, with different meanings. Variants include Mayako and Mayaka. Mount Maya is a Japanese mountain named for the mother of Buddha. The similar sounding Japanese name Mayu means "truth, reason," while some sources say Amaya (pronounced A-MAH-YAH) is a Japanese name meaning "night rain" ^{[1] [2]}

Maya has been a popular name for girls in recent years. It is currently in the top hundred names used for baby girls in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, Norway, and Israel as well as in other countries.^[3] Alternate spellings proliferate, with the name sometimes spelled Maia, Mya, or Myah. The similar name Mia is also sometimes used as a spelling variant of Maya.

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