Maya
Several traditions meet in this spelling: Sanskrit maya, illusion; the Greek nymph Maia, mother of Hermes; and a Hebrew name linked to water.
Maya in 2025
Maya was given to 3,712 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 161st most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 893 babies born.
The history of Maya
Maya reached its highest point in 2006, when 5,053 babies were given the name, ranking 146th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 134th, in 2022.
Across the 86 years of records since 1940, 123,750 babies have been named Maya. Half of them were born before 2010, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Z.
Maya by decade
| Decade | Babies named Maya | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 25 | 5,595 |
| 1950s | 111 | 4,194 |
| 1960s | 427 | 1,865 |
| 1970s | 2,144 | 906 |
| 1980s | 3,013 | 909 |
| 1990s | 14,002 | 250 |
| 2000s | 40,107 | 146 |
| 2010s | 39,806 | 161 |
| 2020s | 24,115 | 134 |
Where Maya is heading
Maya has fallen 10% over the past decade, from 4,133 babies in 2015 to 3,712 in 2025.
Names like Maya
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Maya.