Gaya

Gaya is a feminine given name of Hebrew origin, serving as the Hebrew form of Gaia. Ultimately derived from the Greek word gaia (a parallel form of ge), meaning "earth", the name traces back to the primordial mother goddess in Greek mythology. According to Hesiod's Theogony, Gaia emerged from Chaos and gave birth to the sky god Uranus, with whom she produced the Titans and the Cyclopes.

The name Gaia has two standard Romanized forms in Greek mythology: Gaia and Gaea. In Hebrew, it was adopted as Gaya through transliteration, likely influenced by the goddess's broad recognition in Hellenistic and Roman periods. As a given name among modern Hebrew speakers, it reflects a trend of adopting mythological nature names. The Greek root has also influenced other languages: Italian retains Gaia, while Slovene uses Gaja or its variant Kaja

Distinct from the Hebrew name is the historical Korean confederacy called Gaya (also spelled Kaya), which flourished in the Nakdong River basin of southern Korea during the Samhan period. Additionally, the city of Gaya in Bihar, India (from Sanskrit gayā) is a notable pilgrimage site associated with Buddhism and Hinduism. However, these unrelated homonyms do not derive from the Hebrew personal name Gaya.

• Meaning: "earth" (from Greek gaia)
• Origin: Hebrew adaptation of Greek mythological name
• Type: Feminine given name
• Usage: Hebrew (modern)