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Maia as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Maia

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The baby name Maia is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmaɪə/ (MY-uh); alternative /ˈmeɪə/ (MAY-uh).

Maia is Greek in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: /ˈmaɪə/ (MY-uh); alternative /ˈmeɪə/ (MAY-uh)

What is the meaning of the name Maia ?

The baby name Maia is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmaɪə/ (MY-uh); alternative /ˈmeɪə/ (MAY-uh).

Maia is Greek in Origin.

Maia stems from Greek maia, meaning “good mother, nurse, midwife,” borne by the eldest of the Pleiades and mother of Hermes. In Roman religion she appears as Maia Maiestas, a goddess of growth and spring, the namesake of the month May (Maius). The name thus evokes nurture, renewal, and light. In te reo Māori, māia means “brave, confident,” adding a modern resonance of courage; it is also a popular feminine name in Georgia.

Usage was occasional in the classical world, waned, then revived with Renaissance and 18th–19th‑century neoclassical taste; today it is familiar across Europe and the Anglophone world. Variants and cognates include Maya, Maïa (French), Maja (Scandinavian/Slavic; also a pet form of Maria/Magdalena), Mya, Miya, and Mája (Czech). Mythic and astronomical associations - the Pleiades star Maia - bolster its appeal. Overall sense: “good mother, nurse,” linked to springtime vitality and, in Māori contexts, “bravery.”

Maia has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Maia

Maia Sandu Politician · Born 1972 · United States Maia Sandu is best known as the president of Moldova, a role she has held since 2020. A Moldovan politician, she also founded and formerly led the Party of Action and Solidarity and served as prime minister in 2019 before her government fell in a no-confidence vote. Maia Chiburdanidze Athlete · Born 1961 · Georgia Maia Chiburdanidze is a Georgian chess Grandmaster best known for being the sixth Women’s World Chess Champion. She held the title from 1978 to 1991 and was the youngest-ever women’s world champion until Hou Yifan broke that record in 2010.

Maia – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 — 874
Germany Girls 2018 #1 — 436
GE Girls 0 #8 472 1,564
GE 0 #19 29 997
New Zealand Girls 2010 #32 97 98
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
MD 0 #33 2 434
EE 0 #35 3 1,051
TM Girls 0 #35 1 574
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
MD Girls 0 #67 24 865
BG 0 #69 12 1,799
AO 0 #76 2 2,729
SI 0 #80 1 1,612
RS 0 #84 1 923
Norway Girls 2025 #87 42 453
KZ 0 #94 1 1,452
PH 0 #103 8 5,607
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
GE Boys 0 #104 7 2,055
QA 0 #104 3 7,011
EE Girls 0 #108 31 1,888
CY Girls 0 #109 13 3,755
BN Girls 0 #113 2 5,459
BG Girls 0 #114 122 3,559
HU 0 #115 1 1,675
Switzerland Girls 2024 #121 15 1,786
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
GR 0 #130 6 3,911
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
GR Girls 0 #132 117 6,293
MU 0 #136 2 3,613
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
MT Girls 0 #148 6 3,773
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
UY 0 #154 24 2,477
Sweden Girls 2022 #162 18 1,568
CR 0 #163 3 5,526
AR 0 #164 23 2,915
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
LU Girls 0 #176 10 4,850
SI Girls 0 #177 1 2,769
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
AE 0 #185 3 10,220
CZ 0 #185 2 3,154
Canada Girls 2024 #187 101 2,795
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
AO Girls 0 #200 10 4,575
PS 0 #201 18 5,692
DK 0 #203 4 5,198
PL 0 #211 2 2,600
LU Boys 0 #214 7 4,970
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
AR Girls 0 #228 714 8,289
IR 0 #230 2 4,221
NA Girls 0 #235 3 7,146
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
PT 0 #246 5 4,161
AO Boys 0 #247 3 5,568
GH 0 #248 1 5,396
JP Girls 0 #248 4 6,592
IL 0 #250 25 6,291
EC Girls 0 #256 3 3,650
MO Girls 0 #260 4 7,056
GR Boys 0 #271 3 6,912
AF Boys 0 #274 1 3,535
JM Girls 0 #274 5 7,507
DK Girls 0 #279 38 7,429
SG 0 #280 3 11,010
KZ Girls 0 #284 37 5,862
TW Girls 0 #285 5 8,139
JO Girls 0 #286 40 7,570
UY Girls 0 #286 279 6,731
HR Girls 0 #291 4 3,687
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
QA Girls 0 #301 16 15,378
SA 0 #309 4 10,560
SD Girls 0 #311 35 7,678
PE 0 #327 3 6,350
PT Boys 0 #335 33 7,951
RU Girls 0 #335 174 11,913
PL Girls 0 #340 15 5,096
CZ Girls 0 #346 6 5,378
YE 0 #347 35 8,639
MY 0 #351 4 12,352
HK 0 #355 3 8,483
BR 0 #356 5 5,969
CN Girls 0 #357 3 8,829
MU Girls 0 #358 5 8,539
PS Girls 0 #358 172 10,981
OM Girls 0 #361 36 15,987
France Girls 2021 #362 44 3,185
MU Boys 0 #363 7 8,477
PH Girls 0 #368 23 13,098
Finland Girls 0 #378 14 1,368
EG 0 #381 20 6,387
United States Girls 2024 #385 681 8,487
JO Boys 0 #386 4 7,057
Austria Girls 0 #397 24 1,885
IL Girls 0 #399 236 11,648
BO 0 #406 3 6,868
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
PT Girls 0 #408 44 7,952
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
CL 0 #432 3 6,867
Spain 0 #438 15 2,326
MX 0 #442 4 8,339
IQ Girls 0 #455 50 11,303
AR Boys 0 #457 11 7,628
SD Boys 0 #465 2 10,523
ZA 0 #474 1 14,421
KW Girls 0 #492 24 19,177
GT Girls 0 #496 10 7,500
EG Girls 0 #501 581 14,742
CO 0 #505 6 7,768
Finland Girls 2026 #509 284 3,895
IT Girls 0 #509 1,808 9,415
AE Girls 0 #510 44 20,968
PA Girls 0 #510 9 9,861
LY 0 #513 23 12,703
CR Girls 0 #519 14 11,342
RU Boys 0 #520 7 12,621
IR Girls 0 #542 4 8,334
SY 0 #547 188 11,684
SG Girls 0 #549 38 18,916
PS Boys 0 #553 9 10,655
CM Girls 0 #558 3 11,671
BH 0 #581 7 17,937
BO Girls 0 #590 22 9,488
HK Girls 0 #604 12 16,104
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
IL Boys 0 #617 9 10,983
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
LB 0 #647 12 13,263
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
IT 0 #664 51 4,183
BR Boys 0 #666 86 12,213
IQ Boys 0 #692 6 13,071
CL Boys 0 #699 2 13,390
TR 0 #728 696 19,440
SG Boys 0 #738 2 17,960
QA Boys 0 #741 3 18,093
Spain Girls 0 #742 245 5,561
CO Girls 0 #747 358 16,140
PE Girls 0 #766 180 14,861
Germany Girls 0 #769 70 4,949
BR Girls 0 #796 147 12,708
CL Girls 0 #800 52 14,098
KW Boys 0 #805 2 18,755
TN 0 #809 21 13,765
NG Girls 0 #821 6 15,093
EG Boys 0 #855 32 15,035
SA Girls 0 #857 79 25,931
OM Boys 0 #915 4 17,948
NL Girls 0 #918 38 5,933
PE Boys 0 #921 6 14,506
MY Girls 0 #968 27 24,821
CO Boys 0 #974 8 15,656
MX Boys 0 #1,031 3 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,037 3 16,750
MA 0 #1,075 54 20,986
DZ 0 #1,102 75 20,130
MX Girls 0 #1,105 79 17,781
ZA Girls 0 #1,126 16 25,928
AE Boys 0 #1,140 4 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,179 4 25,439
IT Boys 0 #1,424 48 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,687 5 28,008

Maia is popular in 89 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Norway
Canada
Scotland, United Kingdom
Ireland

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Maia

Maia is predominantly a girl's name.
Maia is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈmaɪə/ (MY-uh); alternative /ˈmeɪə/ (MAY-uh).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Maya, Maja, Maïa, Mayah and Mya.
Across languages, Maia has these equivalents: Greek: Μαῖα (Maîa), Sanskrit/Hindi: Maya (माया).
Yes, very popular — Maia ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 12 countries.
Maia ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Maia's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #1 in 2015 to #1 in 2025 in Ireland.
Yes — 2 notable people named Maia are in our database, including Maia Sandu (Politician), Maia Chiburdanidze (Athlete).