Spelling comparison
Maya vs Maia
Side by side for 2025, Maya has the higher published total (3,712) and Maia has 715. Maya is 83.8% of the pair and Maia is 16.2%.
US national data through 2025 · Source retrieved
Data updated
The two spellings share a Little Names spelling key. Maya profile · Maia profile
Maya versus Maia is a spelling comparison, not a comparison of two different names. Each figure belongs to one exact spelling. Maya and Maia use the same number of letters, so the contrast is which letters appear. Maya uses “y” where Maia uses “i”, between “Ma” and “a”.
From 1950 through 2025, every year in which both spellings were published had the same leader on the combined count. There is no crossover in that overlap.
Maya is first published in these national files in 1940, and Maia in 1950. Maya’s larger 2025 category is female. Maia’s larger 2025 category is female. Maya led 8 decades among decades in which both spellings have a published total.
Inside 2016–2025, the widest combined gap was 3,550 records in 2016, and the closest year was 2025 (a gap of 2,997). Of the combined 2025 records for this pair (4,427), Maya is 83.8% and Maia is 16.2%.
2016–2025, count and rank
Maya was the higher published spelling in 2016, with 4,090 female records (rank #64) and 5 male records (rank #13,520) against 545 female records (rank #570) for Maia. The 2017 national file shows Maya led 2017 by 3,407 published records (4,046 to 639). Read as exact spellings: Maya had 4,046 female records (rank #60); Maia had 639 female records (rank #489). 2018: Maya led 2018 by 3,298 published records (3,918 to 620). Maya and Maia stay separate rows; 3,918 and 620 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2019, Maya had 3,823 female records (rank #64); Maia had 587 female records (rank #525). Maya led 2019 by 3,236 published records (3,823 to 587). 2020 belongs to Maya. Maya had 3,746 female records (rank #61) and 6 male records (rank #11,511); Maia had 616 female records (rank #498). The gap that year was 3,136 records. For 2021, compare the categories separately: Maya had 4,082 female records (rank #55); Maia had 724 female records (rank #435). Maya led 2021 by 3,358 published records (4,082 to 724), and the smaller spelling is Maia. Maya was the higher published spelling in 2022, with 4,247 female records (rank #51) against 752 female records (rank #420) for Maia. The 2023 national file shows Maya led 2023 by 3,420 published records (4,092 to 672). Read as exact spellings: Maya had 4,092 female records (rank #49); Maia had 672 female records (rank #459). 2024: Maya led 2024 by 3,548 published records (4,230 to 682). Maya and Maia stay separate rows; 4,230 and 682 are not a combined baby-name total. In 2025, Maya had 3,712 female records (rank #62); Maia had 715 female records (rank #433). Maya led 2025 by 2,997 published records (3,712 to 715).
| Year | Maya female count | Maya female rank | Maya male count | Maya male rank | Maia female count | Maia female rank | Maia male count | Maia male rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 4,090 | 64 | 5 | 13,520 | 545 | 570 | — | — |
| 2017 | 4,046 | 60 | — | — | 639 | 489 | — | — |
| 2018 | 3,918 | 62 | — | — | 620 | 502 | — | — |
| 2019 | 3,823 | 64 | — | — | 587 | 525 | — | — |
| 2020 | 3,746 | 61 | 6 | 11,511 | 616 | 498 | — | — |
| 2021 | 4,082 | 55 | — | — | 724 | 435 | — | — |
| 2022 | 4,247 | 51 | — | — | 752 | 420 | — | — |
| 2023 | 4,092 | 49 | — | — | 672 | 459 | — | — |
| 2024 | 4,230 | 51 | — | — | 682 | 460 | — | — |
| 2025 | 3,712 | 62 | — | — | 715 | 433 | — | — |
Combined counts, 1880–2025
Each line adds the published female and male counts for that spelling. A gap is a year with no published observation, not a zero. Maya is the warm line and Maia is the cool line.
Which spelling led each decade
The 1940s total is one-sided: 25 published records for Maya, and no published 1940s count for Maia. Maya was the 1950s leader, 111 published records against 58 for Maia. The 1960s files give 427 published records to Maya and 217 to Maia, so Maya led the decade. Maya was the 1970s leader, 2,144 published records against 668 for Maia. The 1980s files give 3,013 published records to Maya and 728 to Maia, so Maya led the decade. Maya was the 1990s leader, 14,002 published records against 2,188 for Maia. The 2000s files give 40,107 published records to Maya and 5,057 to Maia, so Maya led the decade. Maya was the 2010s leader, 39,806 published records against 5,123 for Maia. The 2020s files give 24,115 published records to Maya and 4,161 to Maia, so Maya led the decade.
Top states in 2025
Maya’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are California (658), Texas (354), New York (275), Florida (244), Massachusetts (161). Maia’s highest 2025 state counts, combining published female and male rows where both exist, are California (118), Florida (92), Texas (61), New York (59), Illinois (30). California, Texas, New York are in the top states for both spellings. A state can rank differently for each spelling because the counts are not merged.