Maia — Dog Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
Maia (MY-ah), 2 syllables — A name of Greek origin meaning 'great' or 'mother'.. Verified by the Pets In The City editorial team, with real popularity data from our Auckland community.
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What does Maia mean?
Human: A name of Greek origin meaning 'great' or 'mother'.. Maia is derived from Greek mythology, where Maia is one of the Pleiades and means 'great' or 'mother'.
Our editors checked this meaning before publishing. Names with several genuine origins are shown as separate senses rather than a single claim.
Is Maia a good dog name?
Maia has not been formally rated for calling yet. As a rule of thumb, one or two clear syllables work best for recall. With 2 syllables, it is quick to say — a practical length for recall.
Before you commit, say it out loud a few times and check it does not clash with a household name or a training cue like "sit" or "no".
Maia popularity in the Pets In The City community
Maia ranks #109 all-time in the Pets In The City community, carried by about 0.6 in every 1,000 dogs we care for (19 dogs). Its recent trend is insufficient data.
Popularity comes from anonymised, aggregated records of dogs at our 5 Auckland centres, as of 2026-08-01. It reflects our community, not a national census.
What kind of dog does Maia suit?
It is most often used for girl dogs in our community. Owners often pick Maia for its classic, human name, myth & legend feel. Treat these as suggestions — plenty of dogs happily wear names that break every rule.
What the Overnight Guests Will Whisper About Maia
Our entirely unscientific pack opinion.
When Maia joined playgroup, the other pups whispered, 'Great? More like the queen of fetch! Let's see if she can catch a ball like a true mother of pups!''
Names similar to Maia
- Bridgit — Irish name meaning 'exalted one'.
- Caesar — The great Roman general — a long-serving dog classic.
- Loki — The Norse trickster god — for charming mischief-makers.
- Luna — The Latin word for the moon.
- Sokrates — Greek name meaning 'powerful' or 'whole'.
- Ulyses — Variant of 'Ulysses', meaning 'wrathful' or 'to be angry'.
- Zeus — King of the Greek gods — thunder included.
- Aristophanes — Famous ancient Greek playwright known for comedies.
Collections featuring Maia
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Like Maia? Find names that fit your dog
The Dog Name Matchmaker learns your taste and picks eight names that suit your dog's character — each with a reason it fits.
Naming a new puppy?
A great name is step one. Step two is a great start: our force-free puppy training classes build confidence and recall (that new name gets a workout). New to Pets In The City? Register your dog for a temperament assessment and meet the pack.
By the numbers
- 2 syllables — quick to call
- Ranked #109 of all names in our Auckland community
- About 0.6 in every 1,000 PITC dogs are called Maia
- Meaning and pronunciation verified by our editors
- Data from 5 Auckland Pets In The City centres
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