Fun Facts About the Name Mayan
- 635 babies named Mayan: U.S. records list 635 babies given the name Mayan from 1880 through 2025. Even 262 boys received the name Mayan.
What Does the Name Mayan Mean?
Mayan is most often explained as a form of the Hebrew name Ma'ayan (מַעְיָן), which means "spring" or "fountain." The Hebrew word is a common noun for a spring of water, built from the same root as ayin (עַיִן), a word that means both "eye" and "spring." Mayan is one of several transliterations of this name, alongside Maayan and Ma'ayan. The meaning is literal: a spring or fountain of water.
A separate name, Mayan (மயன்), belongs to Tamil. It is the name of the divine architect of Tamil tradition, and Tamil speakers have used it as a personal name. Its derivation is not securely established, and it should not be assumed to share an origin with the Hebrew name just because the spellings match.
In English, Mayan is also the adjective and noun for the Maya civilization of Mexico and Central America. Some English use of Mayan as a given name reflects that association rather than either older name, so the spelling alone does not tell you which source a particular Mayan comes from.
Mayan Name History & Origins
The Hebrew word ma'ayan is ancient, but its use as a personal name is modern. In the Hebrew Bible it appears only as a common noun for a spring or fountain - for example, in the phrase about the "fountains of the great deep" in Genesis - never as anyone's name. Ma'ayan began to be given as a personal name in Israel in the twentieth century and is used for both boys and girls, though it is more common for girls. Mayan is a spelling English speakers apply to that name.
The Tamil name Mayan has a longer history as a personal name. In Tamil tradition he is the architect of the asuras, the counterpart of the Sanskrit figure Maya, and he is named in Sangam-era poetry. Tamil speakers in southern India and Sri Lanka have used Mayan as both a given name and a surname. It developed independently of the Hebrew name.
English use of Mayan for the Maya civilization and its languages grew out of scholarship on Mexico and Central America, and the word is now the standard adjective for that region's peoples and cultures. Mayan as an English given name is a more recent and mixed development, drawing at different times on the Hebrew name, the Tamil name, and the Maya reference, so its history as a personal name does not follow a single line.
How Popular is the Name Mayan?
Mayan has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2022. Its best rank was #4,385 in 2022.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,719 | 29 | 0.0018% |
| 2024 | #5,086 | 26 | 0.0016% |
| 2023 | #4,419 | 32 | 0.0020% |
| 2022 | #4,429 | 32 | 0.0020% |
| 2021 | #7,148 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #9,327 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #8,928 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #13,608 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #15,559 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #12,604 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #12,688 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2013 | #11,640 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #9,516 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2011 | #14,307 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #14,446 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #11,209 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #14,848 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #14,923 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #13,177 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #13,972 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #12,352 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #10,999 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #13,135 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #11,680 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #11,424 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1999 | #15,982 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #8,367 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #11,628 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #6,998 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #11,308 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #7,961 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #7,859 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #10,954 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #7,054 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #6,061 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #6,115 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2022 | #4,385 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 2021 | #5,701 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2020 | #4,801 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2019 | #6,007 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2018 | #9,353 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #8,594 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #7,953 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #6,940 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #7,906 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #7,383 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #8,532 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #7,409 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #5,992 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #6,641 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #8,670 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #5,774 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #11,550 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #6,909 | 9 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Mayan Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Mayan's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Mayan's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.