Maya | Imamother

amother

Violet

Thu, Jul 06 2017, 8:25 pm

Does anyone know someone with this name? Where does the name come from and what does it mean? Is it short for Maayan or can it be used as its own name? Etc.

amother

Floralwhite

Thu, Jul 06 2017, 10:08 pm

amother wrote:

My granddaughter is named Maya.
Don't know for sure but it could be Maya = from Hashem.

Its a lovely name. Not Jewish.

The internet tells me that it may have a source in Aramaic, meaning water.

Could be short for Ma'ayan.. but it wold be a nickname then??

amother

Violet

Thu, Jul 06 2017, 10:23 pm

amother wrote:

Ich. I don't like the name.

I wasn't asking for your opinion, but thanks anyways.

As to the poster who said it was a not Jewish name, you are incorrect so I'm not sure why you would say that. It means something in Hebrew I'm just trying to figure out the exact meaning.

Thu, Jul 06 2017, 10:29 pm

A beautiful name that appears with various meanings in different languages. I think it is related to maayan or mayim, but I am not sure if the exact etymology.

amother

Floralwhite

Thu, Jul 06 2017, 10:32 pm

amother wrote:

My daughter has the name. I've done a lot of research. There is no Jewish tradition of that name, other than what I suggested is aramaic (close enough?). Maya means "water" in Aramaic (Talmud - Brachot 25b).

there appears to be a Zionist tradition to use it - its an acronym used for The Yom Kippur War (Milchemet Yom Hakippurim).. and apparently there was a surge in Israeli Mayas in the 70s.

ETA - I'd be thrilled to be wrong.

amother

Blue

Sat, Jul 08 2017, 3:41 pm

My Israeli friend Maya told me it's spelled mem-alef-yud-heh from "me'et Hashem hi (מאת ה' היא)" - meaning 'she is from Hashem'

etky

Sat, Jul 08 2017, 5:56 pm

It's not a traditional Jewish name, nor a uniquely Israeli one, but many people like it for various reasons.
Some, usually in secular society, because it's one of those names that have an international ring to it, like תום and גיא.
Some, usually DL, like it because, as the previous poster said, when spelled מאיה it can be viewed as an acronym for מאת ה' היא.
Some just like it because it evokes water and 'water names' are always pleasing.
I wouldn't say though that it's short for Ma'ayan. They are two distinct names.
I never heard about the link to the Yom Kippur war but that's very interesting and indeed the name first gained popularity here in the seventies. There were lots of Mayas when I was growing up - but not usually in the religious community back then.

chagil

Wed, Jan 24 2018, 3:47 pm

amother wrote:

Any idea how its spelled in aramaic? in israel they spell iy מאיה and in aramaic I think its מיא

amother

Floralwhite

Wed, Jan 24 2018, 4:01 pm

chagil wrote:

Any idea how its spelled in aramaic? in israel they spell iy מאיה and in aramaic I think its מיא

correct.

ולא יתכסה לא במים הרעים ולא במי המשרה עד שיטיל לתוכן מים: וכמה מיא רמי ואזיל אלא ה"ק לא יתכסה לא במים הרעים ולא במי המשרה כלל ומי רגלים עד שיטיל לתוכן מים ויקרא

the Hebrew מאיה as an acronym for מאת ה' היא (which is beautiful, and I think what you are going for) is likely "reverse engineering" as in the name is so lovely sounding, people attempted to create a 'meaning' for it.

salt

Thu, Jan 25 2018, 1:31 am

It appears in the song Chad Gadya as well, where is is Aramaic for water:

וַאֲתָא מַיָּא, וְכָבָא לְנוּרָא

I think it also became popular in Israel after the Russian aliya - isn't it a bit Russian sounding?

amother

Pewter

Thu, Jan 25 2018, 5:35 am

The part about the Yom Kippur War is interesting but I also thought the name Maya came to us from the Russian olim.
Floralwhite I liked your reverse engineering idea. I think you must be right about that. For people who want to use a Jewish name I don’t think this is a great choice.

etky

Thu, Jan 25 2018, 5:53 am

salt wrote:

I don't see any connection to the Russian Aliya.
It was already a popular name when I was growing up, in the seventies.
If anything I would connect it with the hugely popular (and beautiful) song written and sung by Shalom Chanoch in honor of his baby daughter, Maya, in 1970.

amother

Pewter

Thu, Jan 25 2018, 6:49 am

etky wrote:

There were already quite a number of Russian olim in Israel in the seventies. At least in a part of Israel where I was.

etky

Thu, Jan 25 2018, 6:53 am

amother wrote:

There were already quite a number of Russian olim in Israel in the seventies. At least in a part of Israel where I was.

Yes, different aliya. Still, I don't think it has anything to do with the name. It was mostly secular Israeli with the name then,