Mayda
A feminine name possibly derived from Arabic roots meaning "rain" or "heavy rain".
Name Census estimates that about 494 living Americans carry the first name Mayda. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mayda today is around 42 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mayda births was 1953 (16 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mayda. 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
494
~ 1 in 693,835 Americans
Peak year
1953
16 babies that year
Average age
42
years old
2024 SSA rank
#14,603
Tracked since 1920
Popularity
Mayda: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mayda from the 1920s through to the 2020s, spanning 11 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 115 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mayda 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 Mayda during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Maydas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Mayda, while Texas, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 23 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Mayda
The given name Mayda is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, with its roots tracing back to the Middle Eastern region during the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic word "mida," which translates to "praise" or "gratitude." The name carries connotations of appreciation, thankfulness, and reverence.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Mayda can be found in ancient Arabic poetry and literature, where it was often used as a symbolic representation of gratitude towards the divine or as a way to express admiration for nature's beauty. It was a popular name among Arabic-speaking populations during the Islamic Golden Age, a period marked by significant cultural, scientific, and intellectual advancements.
In the 11th century, a renowned Arab philosopher and polymath, known as Mayda al-Andalusi, gained prominence for her contributions to the fields of mathematics, astronomy, and philosophy. Born in Cordoba, Spain, in 1009, she was celebrated for her groundbreaking work on the motion of celestial bodies and her innovative approach to solving complex mathematical problems.
Another notable figure with the name Mayda was Mayda bint al-Muqtadir, a 10th-century princess and scholar from the Abbasid Caliphate. She was highly regarded for her knowledge of Islamic jurisprudence, poetry, and literature, and her contributions to the preservation of cultural heritage during a period of political turmoil.
During the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt, which ruled from 1250 to 1517, the name Mayda gained popularity among the ruling elite. One prominent figure was Mayda al-Sayfi, a 14th-century noblewoman and patron of the arts, who played a significant role in promoting cultural exchange and supporting artistic endeavors in the region.
In more recent times, Mayda Sizar, a Palestinian writer and activist born in 1935, gained recognition for her poignant works that explored themes of displacement, identity, and the struggle for justice. Her literary contributions have left a lasting impact on the Palestinian literary landscape and have inspired generations of writers and activists.
While the name Mayda may have evolved in its spelling and pronunciation across different cultures and regions, its historical roots and associations with gratitude, appreciation, and intellectual pursuits have remained intact throughout the centuries.
People
Mayda + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mayda 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
Mayda: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mayda?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 494 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mayda 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 693,835 US residents.
Is Mayda a common name?
We classify Mayda as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 566 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mayda most popular?
The single biggest year for Mayda was 1953, when 16 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mayda is about 42 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mayda a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mayda 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.