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Name Lineage

    The first name Gaia

    A girl’s name from Greek meaning “gaea”, “the earth personified as a goddess”, “the earth”.

    Pronounced /ˈɡaɪə/ 2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Greek origin

    Gaia means “gaea”, “the earth personified as a goddess”, “the earth” in Greek.

    Borrowed from Ancient Greek Γαῖᾰ (Gaîă, “Gaea, the Earth personified as a goddess”), from γαῖᾰ (gaîă, “the Earth”), probably related to γῆ (gê, “earth, land; country”). Sense 1 was coined by the British scientist, environmentalist, and futurist James Lovelock (1919–2022) in his book Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth (1979), at the suggestion of the British novelist, playwright, and poet William Golding (1911–1993): see the quotation.

    More names that mean earth.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 77 girls were named Gaia, making it the 520th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2022, with 95 births (#447).

    050100 1996200020052010201520202025
    1,039
    babies named Gaia, 1996–2025
    #520
    rank in 2025
    2022
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Gaia with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Gaia at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 157 girls born in the United States were named Gaia, the 1,392nd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2023, when 219 were.

    0150300 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    2,434
    babies named Gaia since 1880
    #1,392
    rank in 2025
    2023
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Gaia

    4 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Gaia Weiss
      French actress and model, born 1991
    • Gaia Germani
      Actress (1934–2019)
    • Gaia Vince
      British journalist. broadcaster and non-fiction author, born 1970
    • Gaia Bermani Amaral
      Actress, born 1980

    More Greek girls’ names

    All 347 names of Greek origin

    Questions

    What does the name Gaia mean?
    Gaia means “gaea”, “the earth personified as a goddess”, “the earth” in Greek.
    What is the origin of the name Gaia?
    Borrowed from Ancient Greek Γαῖᾰ (Gaîă, “Gaea, the Earth personified as a goddess”), from γαῖᾰ (gaîă, “the Earth”), probably related to γῆ (gê, “earth, land; country”). Sense 1 was coined by the British scientist, environmentalist, and futurist James Lovelock (1919–2022) in his book Gaia: A New…
    How popular is the name Gaia?
    In 2025, 77 girls born in England and Wales were named Gaia, ranking 520th. Its peak was 2022, with 95 births.
    Is Gaia a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 2,434 US babies named Gaia since 1880 were girls.
    When was Gaia most popular?
    2023 in the United States, when 219 babies were named Gaia, its highest rank at 1,122nd.
    How do you pronounce Gaia?
    Gaia is /ˈɡaɪə/, 2 syllables.