
The short answer
Maia is a feminine name used in Greek Mythology and Roman Mythology. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning ‘good mother, dame, foster mother’, perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione." It ranked #433 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from Greek μαῖα (maia) meaning ‘good mother, dame, foster mother’, perhaps in origin a nursery form of μήτηρ (meter). In Greek and Roman mythology she was the eldest of the Pleiades, a group of stars in the constellation Taurus, who were the daughters of Atlas and Pleione. The entry lists its usage as Greek Mythology, Roman Mythology, Portuguese, Georgian.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Maia ranked #433 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #433 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (Greek Mythology) and that sit near Maia in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Maia mean?
Maia means "good mother, dame, foster mother", according to Behind the Name.
Is Maia a popular name?
Maia ranked #433 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Maia a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Maia appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Maia (1) — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.