Maya
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Maya
Maya, which has an almost mystical image, has been steadily climbing in popularity in the US and the English-speaking world, along with a range of other countries, including France, Germany, Israel, and Brazil. It's ranked in the US Top 100 since the turn of this century, but has never risen to the top of the list, which you may consider a good thing.
In addition to being the name of a Central American culture, Maya was the legendary Greek mother of Hermes by Zeus, and means "illusion" in Sanskrit and Eastern Pantheism. It can also be spelled Maia, though both names have so many possible origins and meanings that not all of them are related.
To the Romans, Maia/Maya was the incarnation of the earth mother and goddess of spring, after whom they named the month of May.
Famed author Maya Angelou was born Marguerite; Maya was coined by her brother saying "mya sister." Its best-known current bearers include performer Maya Rudolph and architect Maya Lin.
Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke's actress daughter is Maya Ray. British designer Phoebe Philo also has a Maya, named for Angelou, as does Israeli actress Gal Gadot.
Maya is also given to boys.
Pronounced MY-uh.
As of October 2026, Maya ranked #62 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #50 in 2023, Nameberry popularity #125.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · girls | Births · girls | US rank · boys | Births · boys |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #74 | 3,957 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #68 | 4,131 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #64 | 4,089 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #60 | 4,046 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #62 | 3,918 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #64 | 3,820 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #61 | 3,744 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #55 | 4,080 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #51 | 4,244 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #50 | 4,085 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #51 | 4,220 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #62 | 3,712 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Maya.
Maya on lists
Famous Mayas
- Maya MicallefGirl
a popular writer on Wattpad
- Maya StojanGirl
actress
- MayaGirl
Queen of Sakya, mother of Buddha
- Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Ann Johnson)Girl
American poet
- Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam aka M.I.A.Girl
British singer,songwriter
- Maya Mikhaylovna PlisetskayaGirl
Soviet born Spanish,Lithuanian prima ballerina assolata, choreographer, ballet director, and actress
- Maya Deren (born Eleonora Derenkovskaya)Girl
American avant,garde filmmaker
- Maya Khabira RudolphGirl
American actress and comedienne
- Maya Ying LinGirl
American architect
- Maya April MooreGirl
American basketball player
- Maya BerovicGirl
Bosnian pop singer
- Maya GilbertGirl
American actress
- Maya ThompsonGirl
American songwriter and cancer activist
- Maya SimantovGirl
Israeli singer,songwriter
- Maya KulenovicGirl
Bosnian,Canadian painter
- Maya BouskillaGirl
Israeli pop singer
- Maya BondGirl
Japanese,American singer,songwriter
- Maya RitterGirl
Canadian actress
- Gate Maya SamuelssonGirl
Ethiopian,born model; wife of celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson
- Maya WidmaierGirl
Picasso, daughter of painter Pablo Picasso and Marie,Thérèse Walter
- Madeline "Maya" DiradoGirl
American swimmer
- Maya Kassandra SoetoroGirl
half,sister of U.S. President Barack Obama
- Maya Fahey (b. 1989)Girl
daughter of actress Victoria Rowell and Tom Fahey
- Maya Ray ThurmanGirl
Hawke (b. 1998), actress; daughter of Uma Thurman & Ethan Hawke
- Maya Celia Sally Wigram (b. 2004)Girl
daughter of designer Phoebe Philo and Max Wigram
- Maya Rose Weisman (b. 2006)Girl
daughter of actor Kevin Weisman
- Maya Versano (b. 2017)Girl
daughter of actress Gal Gadot and Yaron Versano
- Maya GabeiraGirl
Brazilian surfer
Maya in pop culture
- MayaGirl
character in the book series "Maximum Ride" by James Patterson
- Maya MatlinGirl
character on TV's "Degrassi: The Next Generation"
- Maya WardGirl
character on American soap "General Hospital"
- Maya FeyGirl
character in the "Ace Attorney" video game series
- MayaGirl
main character in 2013 film "Zero Dark Thirty"
- MayaGirl
character in video game "Borderlands 2"
- Maya SantosGirl
main character on animated series "Maya & Miguel," twin to Miguel
- Maya St. GermainGirl
character in the "Pretty Little Liars" series
- Maya GalloGirl
character on TV's "Just Shoot Me!"
- MayaGirl
recurring character in the "Harvest Moon" video game series
- Maya BennettGirl
character on TV's "Suite Life on Deck"
- MayaGirl
main character in "Septerra Core: Legacy of the Creator"
- Maya BennettGirl
daughter of Sam and Naomi on TV's "Private Practice"
- Maya Penelope HartGirl
character on TV's "Girl Meets World" portayed by Sabrina Carpenter
- Maya Tamerlane FikryGirl
main character in "The Storied Life of AJ Fikry," by Gabrielle Zevins
- MayaGirl
dancer in video game 'Dragon
- Maya DelaneyGirl
character in Kelley Armstrong's "Darkness Rising Series"
- Maya FallegerosGirl
character in the "Killer Instinct" video games series
- MayaGirl
character in TV show "The 100"
- Maya HerreraGirl
Dominican character in TV show "Heroes"
- Maya VargasGirl
character portrayed by Jennifer Lopez in the 2018 Film "Second Act"