Maya Name Meaning, Origin & Pronunciation

Maya means illusion; mother (varies). From Sanskrit maya, meaning illusion or magical power; other languages offer different roots.

Maya has several unrelated roots, which is part of its appeal. In Sanskrit, maya refers to illusion or the creative power of the divine. In Greek, Maia was a nymph and the mother of Hermes, and the same word means mother or nurse. In Hebrew, some link it to the word for water. It is also the name of a Mesoamerican people, though that is a different origin. The poet Maya Angelou made the name widely admired in English. It is short and warm, and spelled Maia or Maja in some countries.

Variants of Maya

MaiaMyaMajaMaiya

Well-known people named Maya

Maya Angelou.

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