The name: According to the U.S. Census from 1990 (the last in which name statistics were analyzed) people with the first name Maia constituted about 0.002 percent of all females in the U.S. But that figure has probably gone up at least a little. Because according to the Social Security Administration, American parents have been choosing to name their kids Maia more and more over the past couple of decades. In 2006, Maia ranked the 506^th-most popular female name for new babies in the United States. That year alone there were 590 new American Maia's! Some more stats about the name >>

The Greek goddess: According to Greek Mythology, Maia was the goddess of spring. She was the eldest and loveliest of the famous Pleiades, or Seven Sisters. Zeus fell in love with the shy young Maia, and with her he fathered a son, Hermes, who would eventually become a god himself, as well as messenger of the Greek gods & goddesses. (Maia is probably depicted as the left-most figure in this ancient piece of pottery, at right. The baby in the cradle is Hermes.) Maia is also known as the "grandmother of magic," as Hermes was said to have invented magic. Later on in life, Zeus placed into Maia's care Callisto's baby Arcus, so she is additionally known as a mothering goddess -- more specifically, the goddess of midwifery. More information on the Greek goddess Maia here >> and here >>

The Roman goddess: In Roman Mythology, Maia Maiestas was an earth goddess. As with her Greek counterpart, the Roman Maia symbolized youth, life, rebirth, love and sexuality. She was also held as the goddess of plants and of the spring. By Jupiter, she was the mother of Mercury. Like the Greek Maia, the Roman Maia (in the image at right) was also worshiped as a "good mother." It is generally acknowledged that the month of May is named in honor of the Roman Maia. In some cultures May Day (May 1^st) is celebrated in her honor, complete with the tradition of the maypole, a symbol of fertility. Other cultures celebrate this goddess on May 15^th, the Day of Maia. At least one temple dedicated to the Roman Maia is known to have existed -- it was located in the town of Sermoneta, Italy. There is, by the way, quite a bit of debate on whether the Greco-Roman Maia and similar goddesses in other cultures may in fact be the same. More info on Maia in mythology and folklore >>

The star: Maia, along with the six other Pleiades, has her own star located in the constellation Taurus, near Orion the Hunter in the star cluster
M 45. More than five times larger than our sun, Maia lies some 385 light years away from Earth. Contrary to popular belief, the star Maia (20 Tauri) is not the brightest star in the Pleiades cluster -- it is technically the fourth-brightest. According to legend, Maia and her sisters were placed into the sky by Zeus so that they would forever be out of the reach of Orion, a constant suiter. More info on the star Maia >>

The logo: Maia and several of her Pleiades sisters are symbolically emblazoned on every Subaru-brand vehicle. The word "subaru" is Japanese for "Pleiades."

The car: Yes, folks, there was a car called the Maia. The little two-door was produced in the 1950s and 60s by Subaru (quite appropriately - see above for more on that) and resembled a cross between the VW Beetle and the modern Mini Cooper. Sadly, it maxed out at 62 mph, which may be one reason why the car eventually ceased production. Interestingly, its tank only fit 4.7 gallons of gas, but had a fuel efficiency of 59 miles to the gallon; that would beat out any of today's gas-guzzlers hands-down! More info on the Maia car >>

The dinosaur: The Maiasaurs (Maiasaura peeblesorum) were a species of plant-eating duckbilled dinosaur named after the Greco-Roman Maia. Fossils of the "good mother reptile" have been extremely useful in the study of parental care in dinosaurs, as they were the first to be found in groups that included adults and "nests" of young. Maiasaurs, which lived during the Cretacious period -- about 80 to 65 million years ago -- have been found in large quantities in the state of Montana. In fact, the Maiasaur is Montana's state dinosaur! In 1985, several Maiasaur bone and egg shell fragments flew to Skylab 2, making Maiasaurus the first dino in space! More info on Maiasaurs >>

The crab: The spider crab is named Maia squinado. It is sometimes spelled Maja squinado. Popular in France and Spain, these critters are available from France, the UK, and Ireland during the spring and summer months. More info on the Maia crab >>

The banana tree: Maia, or Mai'a, is the name of a Hawaiian banana tree. Though originally brought to Hawaii by early Polynesian settlers, legend has it that the plant was carried over by a brother of Pele. Dreaming of the fruits of the Maia plant, bananas, is supposedly bad luck, as is going fishing with bananas or meeting someone who is carrying a banana! The Hawaiian Maia plant is also used as a medicinal herb. More info on Maia plant >>

The moth: Maia is the name of a colorful moth! Hemileuca maia is known commonly as Maia or the Buck moth. It lives along the east coast of the United States and westward to the Great Plains. More info on the Maia moth >>

The bra: Probably more info than you wanted to know: There is a Maia bra! It's apparently really supportive and giving, so I assume that's where the name came from - you can't make this stuff up! More info on the Maia bra >>

The hockey stick: Gryphon, makers of fine field hockey sticks, has a composite stick called the Maia. You can get it in one of two colors: baby pink or baby yellow. Not exactly the colors I'd think of for the down and dirty sport of hockey, but there ya go! Get yourself a Maia hockey stick >>

The hotel: Planning on vacationing in the Seychelles? Why not stay that the luxurious Maia hotel on the island of Mahé? Its website bills it as a place "designed to take you away from the cares of the world." From the photos I'm guessing it lives up to the hype! You can stay in one of its many picturesque villas, dine in style at their swank restaurant, and de-stress at their private spa. This one's officially going on my "places to see" list! More info on the Maia hotel >>

The cities: Maia is a small city on the western coast of Portugal. It lies just north of the city of Porto. The city of Maia hosts a number of Portuguese sporting teams, including a famous cycling club, Maia MSS. There are reportedly other Maia cities as well (haven't consluted an Atlas!), in the Azores, New Zealand, Romania (two different ones!), Russia, and Switzerland.