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Original poster

Maia or Maya

56 replies

reddoreddo · 15/01/2011 10:53

We would like to call our daughter, due any day now, Maia
or Maya,
pronunced MY-A

what do you reckon, maia or maya and which one of them will people know the right way to say it ?

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User1284568195 · 08/06/2021 21:30

I know a Maja. Pronounced My-ah
I think it might be the polish spelling and as far as I'm aware they haven't had problems with people mispronouncing it

Leeloo1233 · 08/06/2021 20:38

I am even more confused now about the different pronounciations of this name :D

Cezella · 08/03/2014 12:50

I know a Maya and it's said my-ah. That is how I would automatically pronounce it. Although like the Maia spelling too.

I am fluent welsh and agree that the name a pp is referring to could be Mair but to a welsh speaker that name is nothing like Maya at all- the r is prominent!!

chickabilla · 04/03/2014 06:18

we have a Maia, we went for that spelling as we preferred it and I found people ask how to pronounce it if they are not sure whereas I thought we would get 'May-a' more often with 'Maya'. It's not been too annoying, my DH and I have to spell our names anyway very often.and they are very common.

surroundedbyblondes · 04/03/2014 05:32

We have a Maja (my-uh). We took a while to choose the spelling but went for this version as
a) DH didn't like the 'city in ruins' thing a pp mentioned.
b) DH is Swedish and we moved to Sweden shortly after Maja was born. It's the more common Swedish spelling.

We have only had the My/May question/misprononciation from English friends & family.

sleepywombat · 04/03/2014 05:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Shakshuka · 04/03/2014 03:58

Another mum of a Maya, pronounced My-uh. Never had problems with it other than a couple of times when she's been called May-a when we lived in England (but funnily enough nowhere else) but not enough to be an issue.

It's a great name because it works in so many languages and is multicultural.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maya_(given_name)

I'd never have thought of calling writing her name Maia and certainly not Mya. Both look a bit odd to me.

peachysweet · 03/03/2014 23:03

Can't see the harm in pointing out the meaning in other languages, CoteD'Azure, particularly as Maya/ Maia isn't a traditional English name but is used in many cultures. I wasn't attacking or disputing what you said in any case.

hannahlb4884 · 03/03/2014 14:35

Maya. It's a beautiful name, I was thinking of it for a middle name if we have a girl but unfortunately it sounds terrible with our surname. I think Maia is the Greek spelling but Maya is more common and will be easier for people to spell correctly. I really don't like seeing it spelt Mya.

CoteDAzur · 03/03/2014 09:49

I was obviously talking about the meaning of the word "Maya" in the English language.

Cuxibamba · 02/03/2014 22:55

I prefer Maya for that pronunciation personally. Both beautiful though.

peachysweet · 02/03/2014 21:42

Maya is also a Sanskrit (ancient Indian language) word meaning 'an illusion'. It is quite commonly use in British Asians. It also seems to have meanings in many other languages.

The Greek Maia was a Goddess not a fairy.

CoteDAzur · 02/03/2014 18:07

Maya is of course a valid spelling. Of the word referring to the ancient mesoamerican civilization.

CoteDAzur · 02/03/2014 18:06

Maia is not the Greek spelling, it is the English spelling of that mythological character.

winterhat · 02/03/2014 11:21

Maya

jusdepamplemousse · 02/03/2014 11:07

Maya will be pronounced may - a so for that reason I'd say Maia.

FirstTimeMom12 · 02/03/2014 09:32

Maia is the Greek spelling referring to a Fairy in Greek Mythology. Depends I guess also on the meaning you want the name to have...

hels71 · 28/02/2014 21:52

School I used to work in had Maia...may-ah and Maya...my-a

NadiaWadia · 28/02/2014 19:02

Nope. Maya pronounced Mya has been around as a girl's name for many many years. As has Maia. It is a valid spelling, just like Katherine/Catherine, Ann/Anne. Ask Maya Angelou. Ask anyone of Indian (Hindu) background. The ancient civilisation thing is just a coincidence.

CoteDAzur · 28/02/2014 18:27

Maia - A girl's name. The mother of Hermes in Greek mythology.

Maya - An ancient Mesoamerican civilisation. Pronounced MY-A, not MAY-A.

It's up to you what you want to name your daughter after. I would go for the goddess, not a civilisation in ruins. Both words are pronounced the same.

manicinsomniac · 28/02/2014 18:21

In my mind:

Mia, Mea, Miya, Miah = 'MEE-A'

Mya, Maia, Maja, Myah = 'MY-A'

Maya = 'MAY-A'

That fits all the children I've ever met with those names. But sure there are cases where it doesn't.

trulymadlydeeply · 28/02/2014 17:56

I have a Maia. We get the odd Mia pronunciation, but very few. When she was born (13 years ago) I thought we were so original, but there are lots of them around, whether it's spelt Maya or Maia.
Love her name.

Yonineedaminute · 28/02/2014 17:52

It is a lovely name, but my cousin has a Maya and I can never remember if its pronounced my-a or may-a (I think they say may-a!)

I think she will have to correct people a lot if that's a problem.

MoonHare · 28/02/2014 17:01

I would say Maia - My-a and Maya as May-a.

FWIW I know three 5 yr old friends - Mia, Maya (pn May-a) and Maia (My-a) all very confusing when they are together or other people are referring to them in conversation!

peachysweet · 28/02/2014 16:37

I think you must be right Nadia. Maya looks similar to May so the assumption seems to have been made that it is May-ah.
It seems odd to be that, if you are planning to use a name for your child, you wouldn't find out the correct pronunciation...

Footie- thanks for clarifying re Mya/ Mair.

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