Mayan names come from many Mayan languages (such as Yucatec, K’iche’, Kaqchikel, and Tzotzil), so there is no single pattern. Many traditional names derive from the 260‑day ritual calendar (for example Imix, Ik, Akbal, Kan) or from deities and natural forces recorded in colonial and Classic sources (Chaac, Itzamna, Ix Chel). Common structural elements include the feminine title Ix‑ and the agentive/person marker Aj‑, as in Ix Chel and Ajaw. Orthographically, Mayan names often feature ejective consonants written with an apostrophe (k’, t’, ch’, q’) and consonant clusters like tz, ch, and x; in Yucatec, x represents the sh sound, and j often represents a breathy h.
Colonial influence introduced Spanish given names and the two‑surname system, so many people use Spanish first names with Mayan surnames, or vice versa. Contemporary usage includes revived calendar and deity names, place‑based surnames, and standardized indigenous spellings, leading to parallel variants (for example x/j/h reflecting different orthographies). Typical meanings reference animals, weather, maize, celestial bodies, and day signs, rather than abstract virtues.
| Name | Meaning | Origins | Gender | Popularity (last 10y) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mayas | Likely derived from Maya - 'illusion' or 'magic' in Sanskrit; also connected to Maia (a mythic mother figure) or to the Maya people/culture. | Greek, Latin, Mayan, Sanskrit, Spanish | Girl | 151 #1 | |
| Meia | Associated with Maia - 'mother' or 'great' (Greek); sometimes linked to Maya ('illusion' in Sanskrit) | Mayan | Girl | 59 #2 | |
| Mayen | Likely 'born in May' or 'of/from Mayen' (meaning varies by origin) | English, German, Mayan, Spanish | Unisex | 11 #3 | |
| Lynnaya | From Lynn ('lake') combined with the suffix -aya - loosely 'lake' with a graceful/melodic ending (interpreted as 'lake + grace/beauty') | English, Mayan | Girl | 10 #4 | |
| Imix | Crocodile; associated with water, earth, beginnings and fertility | Mayan | Unisex | — | |
| Maea | Uncertain. May be related to Maia ('mother'/'great'), Maya ('illusion' or 'water'), or Mae/May ('born in May'/'pearl'). | Mayan | Girl | — | |
| Meaha | Unknown. No established meaning; if from Hawaiian elements it could combine 'mea' (thing/person) and 'ha' (breath), but this is speculative | Mayan | Girl | — | |
| myah | Variant of Mya/Maya - often associated with 'illusion' (Sanskrit Maya), 'mother'/'great' (Maia), or as a diminutive of Maria ('beloved'/'bitter' variants) | English, Greek, Latin, Mayan | Girl | — | |
| Myetta | Diminutive of Mya/Maya: "little Mya" (Maya carries various meanings such as "illusion" in Sanskrit, "mother"/Maia in Greek, or "emerald" in Burmese) | Mayan | Girl | — | |
| myrraya | No established historical meaning; typically taken to echo related names (Maria: 'beloved'/'bitter', Maya: 'illusion' or 'water', Myra: 'admirable/sweet') - often interpreted as 'beloved' or 'admirable'. | Mayan | Girl | — | |
| Pakal | Shield | Mayan | Boy | — |
Aggregated births across United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany for every Mayan-origin name in our dataset.
