Maya at a glance
- Meaning
- “uncertain, perhaps mother”
- Gender
- Girl
- Origin
- Greek
- Pronunciation
- MY-uh
- Other forms
- Maia, Mya, Maja
Where the name Maya comes from
Maya has several separate origins. In Greek mythology Maia was the mother of the god Hermes, and her name is linked to a word for mother or nurse; in Sanskrit, maya means “illusion”. The poet Maya Angelou made the name well known, and it is popular in many countries today.
Famous people named Maya
- Maya Angelou (poet)