Maija
A feminine Scandinavian name of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Marian.
Name Census estimates that about 1,127 living Americans carry the first name Maija. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Maija today is around 30 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Maija births was 1999 (59 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Maija. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 304,130 Americans
Peak year
1999
59 babies that year
Average age
30
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,735
Tracked since 1952
Popularity
Maija: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Maija from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 335 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Maija by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Maija during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Maijas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 6 states and territories. Minnesota, Michigan, California recorded the most babies named Maija, while Massachusetts, Florida, Washington recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Maija
The name Maija has its origins in the Finnish language and culture, dating back to the early medieval period. It is a variant spelling of the name Maja, which is derived from the Germanic name Maria. Maria, in turn, traces its roots back to the ancient Hebrew name Miryam, meaning "bitterness" or "beloved lady."
The name Maija gained popularity in Finland during the Middle Ages, particularly among the Finnish-speaking population. It was often used as a Finnish equivalent of the more common European name Maria, which was widespread across Christian communities.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Maija can be found in the Finnish epic poem, the Kalevala. This renowned work of Finnish literature, compiled in the 19th century from ancient oral traditions, features a character named Maija, who is depicted as a skilled weaver and a symbol of feminine strength.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Maija. Maija Isola (1927-2001) was a renowned Finnish textile designer and artist, best known for her iconic Unikko (Poppy) pattern for the company Marimekko. Maija Sannikka (1839-1905) was a Finnish author and poet, recognized for her contributions to the Kalevalaic poetry tradition.
In the field of sports, Maija Viheriä (born 1941) was a Finnish cross-country skier who won multiple medals at the Winter Olympics and World Championships in the 1960s and 1970s. Maija Lepistö (born 1945) is a former Finnish track and field athlete who specialized in the pentathlon and won a silver medal at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Another historical figure of note is Maija Lavonen (1862-1927), a Finnish writer and journalist who played a significant role in the early feminist movement in Finland, advocating for women's rights and education.
While the name Maija has its roots in Finland, it has also been adopted and used in other cultures and languages, particularly in neighboring Scandinavian countries and Estonia. However, its historical and cultural significance is most strongly tied to its Finnish origins and the rich traditions associated with this name.
People
Maija + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Maija as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Maija: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Maija?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,127 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Maija going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 304,130 US residents.
Is Maija a common name?
We classify Maija as "Rare". It ranks above 90.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,181 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Maija most popular?
The single biggest year for Maija was 1999, when 59 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Maija is about 30 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Maija a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Maija in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.