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Original poster

Maya pronunciation

72 replies

GinRummyandRaisin · 30/08/2024 23:37

Can someone please confirm how you pronounce Maya? Or whether there are two possible pronunciations? DH is adamant it's My-a, but I'm sure when we did Maya Angelou at school it was May-a 🧐
Thanks!

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Riapia · 31/08/2024 13:07

Pronounce it as Smithy would do.
😉😁😁

SoupDragon · 31/08/2024 12:56

To me, Maya is always "may a" My brain just doesn't see "May" being pronounced "my".

Which is unfortunate as DD's friend Maya is a "My a". I usually manage to get it right but I have to stop and think first!

Tooting33 · 31/08/2024 12:51

My-a. But expect lots of people to say May-a and often Me-a.

It's not a name for those who get het up about pronunciation.

lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 31/08/2024 12:51

My maya is now 17 and only answers to 'maja' which has now been shortened to 'maj' . And yes she does think she's the queen!

Aria999 · 31/08/2024 12:49

(Especially since I originally borrowed the novel from my dad 😁)

Aria999 · 31/08/2024 12:48

lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 31/08/2024 07:20

I have a Maya and it's only very rarely that people pronounce it May-uh. It's My-uh to most (which is as I intended when I named her)

I named her after a character in a film that I really liked at the time who was also a My-uh. I'm less keen on the sound of May-uh.

Mia and the other variations are completely separate names IMO

I have a Maia (MY-ah) which is the Greek spelling.

I saw the name in a novel years ago and loved it. It didn't remotely occur to me that there was any other way to pronounce it.

I was blindsided by the amount of time it took her grandparents to get it right despite hearing it repeatedly...

HighlandCow78 · 31/08/2024 12:43

My-ah

IsadoraQuagmire · 31/08/2024 12:40

The only one I know pronounces it May-a. But both ways are valid. My own name has two "correct" pronunciations, you just have to tell people which one you use.

RaspberryBeretxx · 31/08/2024 12:35

Aria999 · 30/08/2024 23:47

MY-ah is the standard pronunciation (rhymes with fire)

Though I believe some people choose to go by Maya (rhymes with hay)

This. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone said “no, it’s May-ah” but I’d assume the My-yah pronunciation initially if I just saw it written.

PuddingAunt · 31/08/2024 12:30

clary · 31/08/2024 00:56

When I was a teacher I taught:
Maya (May-a)
Maya (My-a)
Mia (Mee-a)
Mhea (Mee-a)
Mia (My-a) (!)
Maia (May-a)
Maia (My-a)

So take your pick really and hope the teacher remembers!

I see your list and add:
Maja (My-a)
Myah (My-a)

However, an ugly phenomenon I encountered last year with 12-13 year olds is where I call names off a register/ class list etc and the whole class bursts out laughing and "corrects" me on a pronunciation I had privately agreed with the child. For some reason the "May-a" version is hilariously wrong even if the child is called that by their parents. Basically the kids are being bullied into different pronunciation of their own names. The kids check Google, and whatever Google says, they believe. However they tell me Wikipedia is unreliable. (Eyeroll).

RaraRachael · 31/08/2024 11:52

WomBat55 · 31/08/2024 11:31

I would pronounce that May-Ah. I would expect My-ah to be spelt Mia!

Any Mias I have encountered are pronounced Me-ah.
What a minefield! I chose names that had no alternative pronouniations

WomBat55 · 31/08/2024 11:31

I would pronounce that May-Ah. I would expect My-ah to be spelt Mia!

Beginningless · 31/08/2024 11:29

I’ve met both but Myah more common. It’s one of those names I dislike for that reason as I need to consider what it is each time.

RaraRachael · 31/08/2024 11:26

Ì taught one and said My-a but she pronounced it May-a

BarbaraHoward · 31/08/2024 11:09

I've come across both, but would go with my-ah as a first guess.

As others have said it's like other names with multiple accepted pronunciations like Helena, Sara, Naomi etc - you have to be open to people guessing wrong and not letting that get to you.

KirstenBlest · 31/08/2024 11:03

Maya (May-a)
Maya (My-a)
Mia (Mee-a)
Mhea (Mee-a)
Mia (My-a) (!)
Maia (May-a)
Maia (My-a)

This but there's also Mya. Maya and Mia are very popular.

rainingsnoring · 31/08/2024 10:46

Maya is correctly pronounced as My-uh/ My-ah.

Your school got the pronunciation of Maya Angelou's name wrong!

lemonsaretheonlyfruit · 31/08/2024 07:20

I have a Maya and it's only very rarely that people pronounce it May-uh. It's My-uh to most (which is as I intended when I named her)

I named her after a character in a film that I really liked at the time who was also a My-uh. I'm less keen on the sound of May-uh.

Mia and the other variations are completely separate names IMO

RuthW · 31/08/2024 07:15

I say May - a

Holidayhell22 · 31/08/2024 06:56

May a
I don’t know any so am going on how it is written.

Busted2006 · 31/08/2024 06:51

I love this name but the pronunciation issues drives me nuts.

I like May-a, surely My-a is spelt Mya?

but yes I met children with both pronunciations.

clary · 31/08/2024 00:56

When I was a teacher I taught:
Maya (May-a)
Maya (My-a)
Mia (Mee-a)
Mhea (Mee-a)
Mia (My-a) (!)
Maia (May-a)
Maia (My-a)

So take your pick really and hope the teacher remembers!

BobbyBiscuits · 31/08/2024 00:56

I've only heard it as My-ah. I guess it could be both?

Pemba · 31/08/2024 00:54

theduchessofspork · 31/08/2024 00:36

Maya Angelou was May-uh, and she must be the best known one.

I assume it’s just May with an an added like Rose/Rosa. I think it’s as standard as My-uh

Show quote history

No she was definitely My-a. It was not her birth name (that was Marguerite) and it developed from her brother as a child referring to her as 'My-a sister'.

The May-a pronunciation is not the usual one (and I think practically unknown in USA).

SonicTheHodgeheg · 31/08/2024 00:51

I know more Ma-ya than May-a but have heard of both.