About the name Maya
Etymology & meaning
Maya has several parallel roots: the Greek Maia is the mother of Hermes and one of the Pleiades, the Latin gave the month of May its name, and in Indian tradition "maya" means "illusion". Bulgarian also reads the name as a wish for spring freshness.
History & patron saint
A name without a direct church patron, Maya is kept by tradition on 1 May — the first day of the month whose name it carries. The day gathers celebrants named Maya and Tamara.
Traditions & customs
The feast is a spring one, often outdoors around the May Day holiday — flowers, an outing and a light table. Wishes are for freshness and good cheer through the year.
Popularity & notable bearers
Maya is short, sonorous and internationally portable, well established in Bulgaria since the 1960s and gathering pace again among newborns.