What Does the Name Maya Mean?

Maya is a girl's name of Sanskrit origin meaning “"Illusion"; also "water" (Hebrew) and a Greek goddess name.”

Updated June 2026

Name	Maya
Gender	female
Origin	Sanskrit
Meaning	"Illusion"; also "water" (Hebrew) and a Greek goddess name
Variants	Maia, Mya, Maja, Mayah
Popularity	A consistent US top-100 girls' name, popular for its cross-cultural appeal.

The meaning and origin of Maya

The name Maya means “"Illusion"; also "water" (Hebrew) and a Greek goddess name” and has Sanskrit origins. A multicultural name: in Sanskrit 'māyā' means 'illusion', in Hebrew it relates to 'water', and in Greek myth Maia was the mother of Hermes. Roman goddess Maia gave her name to the month of May.

Variants and related names

Maya is related to several other names you may recognize: Maia, Mya, Maja, Mayah. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.

How popular is the name Maya?

A consistent US top-100 girls' name, popular for its cross-cultural appeal.

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