I prefer
Maya spelt
Maia but I'm slightly worried about pronunciation. I have spent my life prouncing
Maya and
Maia as MAY-ah but a while back I was informed this was wrong and it is MY-ah - which is right, and how do you pronounce it?
I don't pronounce
Gaia either of those ways, I would instantly say GAY-ah even if it is wrong which is why I have always been put off the name (the gay part is just asking to be teased).
I've never met a
Maya so I wouldn't consider it popular. I slightly prefer just
May on it own, especially as a first name as I think it would be a nice surprise since it is so overused in the middle name spot. :)