Meaning and Etymology
Maja is commonly understood as a short form of the names Marija, Maria, Mary or Magdalena in several European languages. It is also recorded as a form of the name Maia, which is associated with the Greek‑Roman goddess Maia. These explanations are provided by naming‑site entries and linguistic references [4][5][2].
Origin and Language Usage
The name appears in Slavic and Germanic naming traditions. Documented usage includes Croatian, Serbian, Slovene, German, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Polish and Hungarian contexts [1][2][4][5][6]. In Slovenia it is among the most common female names, reflecting its popularity since the 1980s [6].
Pronunciation
German pronunciation is given as /ˈmaː.ja/ and Polish as /ˈma.ja/ (both from Behind the Name) [2].
Spellings and Variants
- Standard Latin spelling: Maja
- Alternative Latin spellings: Maya, Maia
- Cyrillic: Маја (Serbian)
- Masculine short form in Slovene: Maj
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Frequently asked questions
Is Maja a male name?
Maja is primarily a feminine name; a masculine short form Maj exists in Slovene [2].
How is Maja pronounced in different languages?
German pronunciation is /ˈmaː.ja/ and Polish pronunciation is /ˈma.ja/ as reported by Behind the Name [2].
What are common variant spellings of Maja?
Common variants include Maya, Maia, and the Cyrillic spelling Маја; Maj is a masculine Slovene form [2][4].
Related terms
References
Follow the sources to explore the evidence and context behind this article.
- Meaning, origin and history of the name Maja - Behind the Name; https://www.behindthename.com/name/maja
- Meaning, origin and history of the name Maja (1) - Behind the Name; https://www.behindthename.com/name/maja-1
- Maya - Wiktionary, the free dictionary; https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Maya
- Maja (given name); https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maja_(given_name)
- Maja – University of Copenhagen; https://names.ku.dk/personal_names/most_popular_girls_names/maja/
- Maja in May; https://www.stat.si/StatWeb/en/News/Index/6666