Maia

Maia - A very unique female name

Maia appeared on the charts for the first time in 1962 on position #1970. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Maia and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Maia? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Maia. The baby girl name Maia was given to 687 baby girls in 2025, ranking #431 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,897 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Maia peaked in popularity 4 years ago in 2022 on position 425.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Maia, 1-5?

Maia is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Maia is currently topping the baby name charts in Hawaii at position #151 - and is the least popular in Michigan at position #922.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Maia is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Maia origin and meaning

Greek

From Greek Maia, 'mother, foster mother, nurse' — in myth, mother of Hermes and eldest of the Pleiades

Maia was the Pleiades' mother in Greek myth, and the month of May is linked to her Roman counterpart. The name has risen steadily in the U.S. and neared its peak in 2022, as a fresher spelling in the Maya/Mia family.

Attested etymology

Maia is a 4 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Maia, pop culture references for the name Maia and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Maia

We've found the following names that sound similar to Maia, sorted by popularity.

Mia / Maya / Minnie / Mae / Mya / Mamie / Mona / May / Mina / Myah /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Maia

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Maia a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Maia?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

MY-uh · /ˈmaɪə/

Around the world

• Maia (Greek) — Original Greek form
• Maia (Portuguese) — Also a Portuguese surname/place spelling

Spellings and nicknames

• Maya — More common related spelling
• Maja — Scandinavian/German spelling

Famous bearers

• Maia Mitchell — Australian actress known for The Fosters (b. 1993) Contemporary

Style

MythologicalInternationalClassic

Why parents choose it

It is short, mythic, and starry (the Pleiades), with a softer look than Maya.

Worth knowing

• Pronunciation splits between MY-uh and MEE-uh for some, and it is routinely confused with Maya and Mia.