Maya
Illusion or water · Sanskrit origin
What does Maya mean?
Maya is a female name of Sanskrit origin, meaning “Illusion or water”.
How popular is Maya?
In England & Wales, Maya ranked #15 among girls' names in 2024, with 1,592 babies given the name — up from #45 in 2014. That is its best showing in the England & Wales series, which begins in 1996.
In the United States, Maya was the #61 girls' name in the 2020 data — its best showing in the US series, which samples one year per decade from 1880.
The two territories disagree about Maya: #15 in England & Wales against #61 in the US — a markedly more British choice.
| Year | E&W rank | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #259 | 145 |
| 2000 | #110 | 454 |
| 2005 | #98 | 527 |
| 2010 | #57 | 1,061 |
| 2015 | #37 | 1,354 |
| 2020 | #32 | 1,331 |
| 2024 | #15 | 1,592 |
Who are famous people named Maya?
- Maya Angelou · American poet, author, and civil rights activist (1928–2014)
- Maya Plisetskaya · Russian ballet dancer (1925-2015)
- Maya Hawke · American actress
What names go well with Maya?
More on Maya
Sanskrit, four letters, and a meaning that shifts depending on which thread you pull.
Maya: a tiny name with a riddle inside it — Maya as our Name of the Day.
Mila: the gentle Slavic name with a long reach — Maya gets a mention.
Kai: the whole sea in three letters — Maya gets a mention.
Ariana: four syllables of pure momentum — Maya gets a mention.
Eliana: a name that means a prayer answered — Maya gets a mention.
Layla: a name straight out of the night — Maya gets a mention.
Luna: the little name that hung the moon — Maya gets a mention.
Swipe & match on Maya in Settle