Taya is a short, open name with several possible roots: it is a Russian pet form of Taisiya, a short form of Tatiana or Taylor, and in Japanese usage it can be written with characters meaning "valley" or "arrow". Most American parents simply like its sound, which fits in with Maya and Kaya. Taya ranked number 907 in 2000, its only year in the top 1000, and has eased down to number 2385 in 2025.