Active discussions

Help protect children from gaming harms.

Take our survey

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Maya or Maia?

61 replies

lucasnorth · 28/04/2009 22:01

What do people think?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Set a reminder
tkband3 · 28/04/2009 22:31

I have a Maia and we pronounce it my-a. Her best friend in nursery is called Mya. We've never yet had to correct anyone's pronunciation (sp?) but we do have to spell it as I think the more usual spelling is Maya.

fluffles · 28/04/2009 22:27

I know a maia who is maori and pronounces it my-a. it's a lovely name.

foxytocin · 28/04/2009 22:27

it is the MA-YA culture, Heated.

foxytocin · 28/04/2009 22:26

Maya is MA-YA. surely.

ChocFridgeCake · 28/04/2009 22:19

Both lovely spellings BUT a lot of people will pronounce Maia, as MY-AH.

With Maya, there isn't the query - it's clearly MAY-AH.

If I saw Maia I personally would presume it was My-ah. A Maia will spend a lot of time clarifying whether it be said My-ah or May-ah.

rasputin · 28/04/2009 22:11

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Heated · 28/04/2009 22:11

Maya I would pn May-A, I think of ancient Mayan culture & the wonderful Maya Angelou.

Maia could be pn May-a or My-a and consider it the more anglicised version of Maia, but don't know why that is, maybe simply because 'ia' names are more commonly found in the UK. Maia is also the heroine of one of my favourite children's books, Eva Ibbotson's 'Journey to the River Sea'.

MakemineaGandT · 28/04/2009 22:10

Maia

gibbberish · 28/04/2009 22:09

Maia. Love it.

BirdyArms · 28/04/2009 22:08

I like the name. I would spell it whichever is the more usual way, very annoying to have to go through life correcting the spelling of your name. IME Maya is more usual but I probably don't know enough of them to be sure.

TaurielTest · 28/04/2009 22:05

Pretty name. I prefer it with the i spelling personally, and would pronounce it MY-a not MAY-a...
but will the baby be born in May?! I liked Juno for a girl, but decided that it would be too cheesy for a June baby.

Swipe left for the next trending thread