Maia

At a Glance: Name: Maia – Meaning: refers to the mythological Maia — mother of Hermes in Greek myth, and a Roman goddess of springtime growth (source of the month name 'May'); also used independently as a Māori name meaning 'brave, confident' – Origin: Greek/Roman (mythological); also Māori – Gender: Girl – Pronunciation: MY-ah

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Maia carries a double mythological pedigree: in Greek myth she's the mother of Hermes, and in Roman tradition she's a goddess of springtime growth — the very source of the month name 'May.' Separately, Maia is also used as a Māori name meaning 'brave, confident.' It's pronounced MY-ah (/ˈmaɪə/), and fits both an outdoorsy, nature-inspired and a timeless, classic style.

Meaning & Origin of Maia

Meaning: Refers to the mythological maia — mother of hermes in greek myth, and a roman goddess of springtime growth (source of the month name 'may'); also used independently as a māori name meaning 'brave, confident'.

Origin: Greek/Roman (mythological); also Māori.

Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.

How to Pronounce Maia

Phonetic: MY-ah   IPA: /ˈmaɪə/

Popularity of Maia

Maia peaked at #420 in 2022 with 752 babies given the name, and has since eased slightly to #459 in 2024 with 681 — a modest dip, but still well within its recent range across Social Security data going back to 1950.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1950–2024.

Make Maia Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Maia, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.

Names With a Similar Story

Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.

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FAQ

What does the name Maia mean?

Refers to the mythological maia — mother of hermes in greek myth, and a roman goddess of springtime growth (source of the month name ‘may’); also used independently as a māori name meaning ‘brave, confident’. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Maia)

How do you pronounce Maia?

Maia is pronounced MY-ah (IPA: /ˈmaɪə/).

Is Maia a popular name right now?

Maia is near its all-time peak (#420 in 2022), ranked #459 in 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1950–2024.)

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