Maia comes from Greek mythology, where Maia was the eldest of the Pleiades and the mother of Hermes; the name is linked to the Greek word for "mother" or "nurse". The Romans honored a goddess of the same name in spring, and the month of May is usually traced to her. Maia has stayed in the middle of the US charts for decades, from number 550 in 2000 to a best rank of number 420 in 2022, and stands at number 433 in 2025.