Q for Australian berries: How do you pronounce Maya?

Girl Names
1

Hello,

[name_m]How[/name_m] do you pronounce [name_f]Maya[/name_f]? Is it MIE-a or [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-a?

I would especially love to hear from any Australians.

Many thanks!

2

I am Aussie, I say [name_f]MY[/name_f]-ah (MIE-a).

3

As an Australian I pronounce it [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-ah

4

[name_f]MY[/name_f]-ah (MIE-ah), definitely. I didn’t really realise ‘we’ said it any other way, but yeah, I guess I can see now how some might say [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-ah.

5

I’m Australian and I’ve only heard it [name_f]May[/name_f]-a. [name_f]Mya[/name_f] is pronounced [name_f]My[/name_f]-ah.

6

I’m Australian, and I pronounce it [name_f]May[/name_f]-uh because that’s how friends with this name pronounce it. I know two Mayas (may-uh), a [name_f]Maia[/name_f] (my-uh) and a [name_f]Mya[/name_f] (my-uh).

7

I’m Australian and my cousin’s name is [name_f]Maya[/name_f] ([name_f]MAY[/name_f]-ah)

8

Thanks everyone, that’s really helpful :slight_smile:

9

Who knew? I am an American and have only heard my uh, but I love [name_f]May[/name_f] uh so much more!

10

I say [name_f]MY[/name_f]-uh, but I also know a [name_f]Maya[/name_f] who pronounces her name [name_f]May[/name_f]-uh. I automatically say [name_f]MY[/name_f]-uh, because of the Mayan’s, but I suppose it could be said [name_f]May[/name_f]-uh (I would personally spell it [name_m]Meyer[/name_m] / [name_f]Meya[/name_f] / [name_f]Mea[/name_f] with the accent like cafe.)

11

I’m a kiwi, but my Aussie best friend has a cat named [name_f]Maya[/name_f], pronounced [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-a. I tend to read to [name_f]MY[/name_f]-a, but I apart from the Aussie cat I don’t know any in real life so not sure how its supposed to be pronounced!

12

I say [name_f]May[/name_f]-ah, [name_f]Mya[/name_f] would be [name_f]My[/name_f]-ah. I also say [name_f]Naya[/name_f] the same even though [name_f]Naya[/name_f] Rivera says Nie-ah

13

I would say [name_f]MY[/name_f]-uh (not Australian). I had never even thought about it being pronounced [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-uh until you suggested it! I do think it sounds pretty either way.

14

[name_f]May[/name_f]-uh. [name_f]Maia[/name_f] is mye-ah, where I live :smiley:

15

I think it can be either [name_f]MY[/name_f]-uh or [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-uh. I automatically pronounce it [name_f]MY[/name_f]-uh but I only know one [name_f]Maya[/name_f] and she pronounces it [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-uh. I think that [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-uh is the more common pronunciation. Like pp, I see [name_f]Maia[/name_f] as [name_f]MY[/name_f]-uh.

16

I would say [name_f]May[/name_f]-uh.

17

Well this has sure been an eye-opener for me. I really had no idea people said [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-ah. I mean I’ve never met nor heard a [name_f]Maya[/name_f] referred to here in the everyday so there’s that, but yeah, I just assumed everyone said [name_f]MY[/name_f]-ah for [name_f]Maya[/name_f], [name_f]Mya[/name_f] and [name_f]Maia[/name_f]. [name_f]Fancy[/name_f] that then, huh? There’s my one thing learned every day for today…

18

[name_f]May[/name_f]-A for me

19

Aussie too. I pronounce it [name_f]MY[/name_f]-ah.
[name_f]Maia[/name_f] would be [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-ah to me.

20

If I don’t know the person I pronounce it MIE-uh…but I know two girls called [name_f]Maya[/name_f]- one is pronounced [name_f]MAY[/name_f]-uh and the other is MIE-uh. I’m also an Aussie (as are both girls I know).