Maya is a feminine name with multiple meanings. In Hindu philosophy, Māyā means "illusion" and in Hindu mythology, it 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/מאיה in Hebrew) is a short form of "ma'ayan," meaning "spring" or "brook." In Old Persian the name means "generous."
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, Serbia, and Macedonia. 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 among 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, Miya, Mya, or Myah. The similar name Mia is also sometimes used as a spelling variant of Maya.