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Maya in Japanese

KatakanaマヤMaya
Kanji真弥Maya

In Japanese, Maya is written in katakana as マヤ (Maya), the way Japanese people write foreign names. To write it in kanji, each sound gets a character chosen for its meaning. Our top pick is 真弥 (maya): “truth”, “ever more”.

How Maya sounds in Japanese

マヤ

Kanji for Maya

真弥
maya
  • 真
    ma truth
    True and genuine; the real thing.
  • 弥
    ya ever more
    “More and more”; something that keeps growing.
    The old name for March, 弥生 (yayoi), means “growing spring.”
舞弥
maya
  • 舞
    ma dance
    Graceful dance, as in traditional Japanese dance (日本舞踊).
    Traditional dance forms like Mai (舞) in Noh theater emphasize slow, circular, grounded floor movements.
  • 弥
    ya ever more
    “More and more”; something that keeps growing.
    The old name for March, 弥生 (yayoi), means “growing spring.”
満弥
maya
  • 満
    ma fullness
    Full and complete, like the full moon.
    The autumn full moon viewing festival, Tsukimi, honors the harvest moon with offerings of sweet rice dumplings.
  • 弥
    ya ever more
    “More and more”; something that keeps growing.
    The old name for March, 弥生 (yayoi), means “growing spring.”

By style

Masculine
真弥
truth · ever more
Feminine
舞弥
dance · ever more

Questions about Maya in Japanese

How do you write Maya in Japanese?

Maya is written マヤ in katakana. Katakana is the script Japanese people use for foreign names, so this is how Maya would appear on a Japanese ID card, a café cup or a name tag.

What are the best kanji for Maya?

Our top pick is 真弥 (Maya). 真 means “truth” and 弥 means “ever more”. Other good options are 舞弥 (Maya) and 満弥 (Maya).

Is 真弥 a real Japanese name?

Yes. 真弥 is also found in Japan as a girl’s name, read Maya, so it looks natural to Japanese readers. For Maya, it works as both a real-looking Japanese name and a kanji spelling of your own name.

How many strokes is 真弥?

真弥 has 18 strokes in total (真: 10, 弥: 8). It takes some practice to write neatly, so look up the stroke order before trying it with a brush.

Can I use 真弥 as a tattoo?

Each character in 真弥 has a positive meaning, so it is a reasonable choice. Keep in mind that Japanese people will read it as the meaning of the characters, not instantly as “Maya”. If you want your name to be recognized, katakana (マヤ) is clearer. Either way, ask a native speaker to check the final design.

Planning a tattoo or a print? Read the kanji tattoo checklist, and check the kanji in the name tool. Not sure which script to use? See katakana or kanji.

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