Maya (given name)

Maya is a female name in various languages with various meanings. Originally from Sanskrit, the ancient Indian language, Māyā means "illusion or magic", and is an alternate name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi.^[1]

In the Tupi language, of southern Brazil, it means "mother", while Mayara means "grandmother".^[2] In the Māori language, the name means "courage" or "bravery",^[3] and is popular for Māori girls in New Zealand.^[4] The name may be a variant form of the Greek theonym Maia (Μαῖα in Ancient Greek), the eldest of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes in Greek and Roman mythology.

Variously spelled Maia or Maja it can also be used as a short form of Maria or Mary in Christian culture such as Germany, the Scandinavian countries, and various East European and Balkan countries. Maya is also used as a short form for the name Amalia or the Basque name Amaia or Amaya (meaning "the end") in Spanish-speaking countries.^{[citation needed]}

Another variant of Maya is the Arabic name Mayya (مية) which comes from May (مي) which means either good servant, pretty woman or water,^[5] It was also a popular name among medieval Arab women, one of the more notable ones being Mayya Bint Muqatil the lover of the Arab poet Dhul-Rumma^[6]

In Hebrew Maya can be derived from the word Mayim (מים) which means Water.^{[citation needed]}