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Original poster

How to pronounce Maya / Maia

34 replies

JassyRadlett · 29/08/2014 12:18

I'm Australian. DH is English.

Discussing this, we realised we pronounce Maya differently. I've never heard it in Australia/the US as anything but 'My-uh'. DH defaults to May-uh.

We both pronounce Maia to rhyme with Gaia: 'My-uh'.

So, what's standard in Britain for each? Don't want to give any potential child a name that's not useable in both countries.

And how to you pronounce the name of the Mayan people?

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FayCarew · 18/03/2024 13:16

@DontGiveADuck , they are usually posted late at night. I thought there was a red notice saying it was an old thread.

@Maia87xx , the thread was started in and last posted on in 2014. Why did you post on it?

oldnorsesaga · 18/03/2024 12:37

Maia87xx · 17/03/2024 22:17

Maia and maya can both be prounouced either way. My name is Maia pronunciation MAY-ah

Mai-a
Mai-sie
Dai-sy
Lai-la
Lai-ya
Mai-d
Pai-d ect ect
Maia can also be prounanced just May. Infact my nans name was may spelled Mai.
It's a name that no matter how you spell it you'll always have to correct the majority of people.
But once people no then you won't have to correct again.

Doesn't really matters, since Maia isn't English - Maia is Latin and in many European countries, it's My-a. In fact, it may be argued "original" Maia spelling is Maja - from German and other European countries nickname for Maria - where J=Y, so Maya and Maia are just way of spelling Maja.

DontGiveADuck · 18/03/2024 10:40

Why do people drag up old threads to tell us what their name is? Hmm

Previousreligion · 18/03/2024 08:33

I would assume -

Mia - Mee-ah
Maia - My-uh
Mya - My-uh
Maya - I wouldn't know from reading it and would have to clarify if it was My-uh or May-uh

I would say My-un for Mayan people.

Maia87xx · 17/03/2024 22:17

Maia and maya can both be prounouced either way. My name is Maia pronunciation MAY-ah

Mai-a
Mai-sie
Dai-sy
Lai-la
Lai-ya
Mai-d
Pai-d ect ect
Maia can also be prounanced just May. Infact my nans name was may spelled Mai.
It's a name that no matter how you spell it you'll always have to correct the majority of people.
But once people no then you won't have to correct again.

jelabi · 05/09/2014 14:42

Maya is pronounced My- ah

Original poster
JassyRadlett · 03/09/2014 23:04

How bizarre - I'm a Queenslander!

OP posts:
sonniebonnie · 03/09/2014 14:19

I would pronounce Maya as May-a. Maia seems to be the German version so would probably prounce it My-ah.

Mia seems less ambiguous.

sleepywombat · 02/09/2014 06:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
JassyRadlett · 01/09/2014 13:05

Sleepy, where in Australia are you? The only Australian ones I know are My-uh - weird!

The name is almost definitely off the list.

OP posts:
PamShoo · 01/09/2014 11:03

I would pronounce both names differently;

Maya = May-ah
Maia = My-uh

sleepywombat · 01/09/2014 07:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

clary · 01/09/2014 00:08

Last year I taught Maya - said My-uh

Also Maya - said May-uh

Also Maia - said May-uh

Also Mia - said My-uh

Also Mia - said Mee-uh

Also Mhea - said Mee-uh

sometimes I got them muddled up.

FWIW I would say Maya May-uh and Maia the same. Mia OTOH is surely Mee-uh.

NadiaWadia · 31/08/2014 20:29

It's my-a. May-a is something that has come in recently and I think it maybe originated as a misunderstanding - thinking the name was just an extension of May, which of course has been very popular recently, especially as a middle name.

NannyPeach · 31/08/2014 20:26

It's My-ah

maggiethemagpie · 31/08/2014 20:21

I would pronounce Maya - May(as in the month)-a. I have a friend whose daughter's name is spelled and pronounced this way.
I would pronounce Maia My-a
I have a friend called Mair - welsh name- pronounced My-a. Although I'm ashamed to say I called her May-a for the first six years of her friendship. And she never corrected me (but everyone else calls her Mair and that is actually how the name is pronounced so she was just being polite)

MrsBungle · 31/08/2014 11:53

My friends Maia is pronounced may-ah.

I would pronounce maya as may-ah too as I don't know any and would just pronounce as it sounds so I've learnt something on this thread!

babyblabber · 31/08/2014 11:49

I've only ever heard it as my-ah.

Original poster
JassyRadlett · 31/08/2014 10:40

Oops, sorry. Do you also pronounce the name of the Mayan civilisation that way - or does it not come up enough to have a standard UK pronunciation?

OP posts:
Original poster
JassyRadlett · 31/08/2014 10:40

For those saying May-a, do you

OP posts:
rachel234 · 31/08/2014 08:07

As Gin said:

Maya May-a
Mya My-a
Mia Mee-a

But people will pronounce them differently so perhaps one to avoid if that would bother you.

Ohhelpohnoitsa · 30/08/2014 22:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

GinAndSonic · 30/08/2014 22:11

Id say May-ah, Mya would be My-ah and Mia is Me-ah

divingoffthebalcony · 30/08/2014 22:07

I would pronounce them the same: my-ah.

ralinax294 · 30/08/2014 22:06

I always read Maya as May-ah and Maia as My-ah.

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