Being the name nerd I am, and since I’m still at school I came across a girl called Manaia in the yearbook. Never seen or heard it before but I’m assuming it’s pronounced [name]Man[/name]-aye-uh. I actually really like it, it sounds feminine, pretty and exotic and somewhat reminds me of the name [name]Pania[/name] (Pahn-ee-ah) which to me has the same feel. [name]Just[/name] wondering what all you other name nerds think of this name.
Sorry - not a fan! It looks like mania to me, which reminds me of manic-depressive (bipolar) disorder, which makes me think of mental illnesses, which makes me think of mental institutions, which…oh, you get the picture! Again, sorry. :-/
Sorry - not a fan! It looks like mania to me, which reminds me of manic-depressive (bipolar) disorder, which makes me think of mental illnesses, which makes me think of mental institutions, which…oh, you get the picture! Again, sorry. :-/[/quote]
I had the exact same reaction!
sorry, me too - all I see is Mania.
It has a pretty sound but I immediately associated the name with maniac- not a good association. Sorry!
It’s a Maori name actually, quite a common street name in New Zealand. It’s almost… I don’t quite know how to say it, it’s derived from mana, which is a quality possessed by certain people, to have mana is to have authority (but not necessarily formal authority, it’s a natural authority) the respect of your peers, wisdom, etc. Manaia itself is often represented in Maori art. As far as I can remember, there are guardian figures called Manaia, something to do with birds, they’re protective spirits.
Maori pronunciation is similar to Japanese, Italian etc, Manaia is pronounced Mah-nai-uh.
The name Manaia is also a name used in Portugal, although it is not that common. As far as I´ve researched, it comes originally from the mother of one of the horsemen of the first king of Portugal, whose Galician name was Menaya, which later took the Portuguese form of Manaia. In Portugal, the people who first used this name came mainly from the north, close to the Spanish province of Galicia. Today, it is used throughout the country and I happen to be one of those who are lucky to have it as a surname. As far as its association with the Maoris in [name_m]New[/name_m] Zealand, I believe it´s only a coincidence, since there aren´t any known past contacts between these two countries which are so far apart from each other. As for its association with other adjectival mentioned words in the English vocabulary, well, it´s for each one to decide. The fact remains that it is a name used in Portugal as well as [name_m]New[/name_m] Zealand and [name_f]Samoa[/name_f].
I agree, all I can see is mania.
I’m a [name_m]New[/name_m] Zealander and I’ve heard Manaia as a name on a few people so my first association wasn’t mania but the actual name. It just depends on context. In [name_m]New[/name_m] Zealand it’s considered a name and quite a meaningful one, in other places the first thought is mania
Wait a minute. why was this thread revived from 6 years ago?
I quite like the sound of the name, but agree that the spelling ‘Manaia’ does put me in mind of mania. I think I like the Portuguese spelling ‘Menaya’ much better.
Its got a really lovely sound to it.
I instantly read Mania, sorry!