How to say it
MAI · a
/ˈmaɪ.ə/
Feminine
Maia
Mother, great one
What it means
Greek and Roman, the goddess Maia, eldest of the Pleiades and mother of Hermes, linked to 'mother' or 'great.'
Maia was the goddess of spring growth, eldest of the Pleiades and mother of Hermes, and the month of May is named for her. The name reads to 'mother' or 'great one,' and one of the Pleiades stars carries it. It is the older, more classical spelling beside the popular Maya, and pairs with Mia and Kaia. Said MY-ah.
Popularity over time
peaked at #420 in 2022, currently #433 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Maia is the classical Greek spelling; Maya is the popular variant.
- Worth knowing
The goddess who named the month of May; a Pleiades star.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Maia Greek goddess, mother of Hermes and eldest of the Pleiades
Spelling variants
- Maya
- Maja
- Maiya
Names with the same feeling
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