Maya (given name)

Maya is a feminine name in various languages with various meanings. In the ancient Indian language Sanskrit, Māyā means "the illusory nature of reality or the illusion of creation", and is an alternate name of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi. In the Tupi language, of southern Brazil, it means "mother", while Mayara means "grandmother". In the Māori language, the name means "courage" or "bravery", and is popular for Māori girls in New Zealand. The name may be a variant form of the Greek theonym Maia (Μαῖα in Ancient Greek), the eldest of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes in Greek and Roman mythology. Variously spelled Maia or Maja it can also be used as a short form of Maria or Mary in Christian culture such as Germany, the Scandinavian countries, and various East European and Balkan countries. Maya is also used as a short form for the name Amalia or the Basque name Amaia or Amaya (meaning "the end") in Spanish-speaking countries. Another variant of Maya is the Arabic name Mayya (مية) which comes from may (مي) which means either "good servant," "pretty woman," or "water." It was also a popular name among medieval Arab women, notably Mayya Bint Muqatil, the lover of the Arab poet Dhul-Rumma In Hebrew Maya can be derived from the word mayim (מים), which means "water." Maya is also a Japanese given name, with different meanings depending on the kanji used.