Mia is a feminine given name in popular use worldwide. It originated as a diminutive of Maria and other names such as Amelia and Emilia, and was rarely used as an independent given name prior to the 20th century.
The name is often confused with Maia and Maya, both of which can be derived from other sources. The name Mya, which also can be derived from multiple sources, has been used as a spelling variant of Mia as well as of Maya and Maia. The name Mia can also sometimes share the pronunciation MY-ə with the names Maia, Maya, and Mya, though it is more commonly pronounced MEE-ə, with a long e sound.
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Cultural influences
The pronunciation MEE-ə was popularized in the 20th century due the use of the Italian possessive word mia, meaning “my”, in popular love song titles such as Rosa Mia, released in 1938, and the 1954 hit song Cara Mia. English speakers who heard the song Cara Mia likely misinterpreted the Mia in the song titles as a woman's name. Mia was first used for five or more girls in the United States in 1938 after the release of Rosa Mia, and increased significantly in use in the late 1950s after the release of Cara Mia. The name Mia first appeared among the 1,000 most popular names for newborn girls in the United States in 1964, the year American actress Mia Farrow debuted as smart, pretty teenaged Allison MacKenzie on the American television soap opera Peyton Place. The name increased from 104 uses for American girls born in 1963 to 1,054 uses for American girls born in 1965. Farrow, for whom Mia is a nickname for Maria de Lourdes, appeared on the soap opera until 1966.
The name has remained among the top 1,000 names for American girls since 1964, but dropped in use slightly after 1968, when Farrow appeared in the Satanic-themed horror film Rosemary's Baby. The name increased again in popularity in the mid- to late 1970s after the release of the 1975 hit song Mamma Mia. Other popular culture influences affected continued use of the name. Mia also increased in use after American actress Mia Sara appeared in the 1986 American comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day Off. American professional soccer player Mia Hamm, for whom Mia is a diminutive of Mariel, and the character of Amelia "Mia" Thermopolis in the 2001 American film The Princess Diaries based on the best-selling young adult novel series by American author Meg Cabot, also influenced use of the name in the United States. The name Mia or Mía became particularly popular for girls in Spanish-speaking families in North and South America due to Mía Colucci, a character played by Mexican actress Anahí in the popular Mexican telenovela Rebelde, which aired from 2004 to 2006. Mia was the most popular name for baby girls born to Hispanic and Latina mothers in the U.S. state of Virginia in 2024. Overall, it was the seventh most popular name for girls born in the state in 2024.
Usage
Mia has been among the 10 most popular names for newborn girls in the United States since 2009 and has been similarly popular in Canada and Mexico. The name has been similarly popular in the 2010s and 2020s elsewhere in the Anglosphere, including in Australia, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. It is also a popular name throughout Europe, ranking on popularity charts in Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Moldova, Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Switzerland. It is also a popular name in South American countries. The name Mia has appeared on popularity charts in Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay, among other countries.
Notable individuals
Given name
Mia Alvar, Filipino–American writer
Mia Bitsch, German karateka
Mia Boman (born 1975), Swedish curler and curling coach
Mia Brownell (born 1971), American visual artist
Mia Carlsson (born 1990), Swedish soccer player
Mia Clift (born 2004), Australian snowboarder
Mía Cueva (born 2011), Mexican diver
Mia Davies (born 1978), Australian politician
Mia Falkenberg (born 1983), Danish politician
Mia Farrow (born 1945), American actress
Mia Goth (born 1993), English actress
Mia Hagman (born 1979), Finnish breaststroke swimmer
Mia Isabella, American pornographic actress
Mia Kilburg (born 1989), American speed skater and professional racing cyclist
Mia Kirshner (born 1975), Canadian actress
Mia Kretzer (born 2014), Australian skateboarder
Mia Kupres (born 2004), Canadian tennis player
Mia Love (born Ludmya; 1975–2025), American politician
Mia Makaroff (born 1970), Finnish composer
Hypocoristic
Mia Aegerter (Myriam), Swiss pop singer and actress
Mia Farrow (María), American actress
Mia Hamm (Mariel Margaret), American soccer (football) player, eponym of the Mia Hamm Foundation
Mia Matthes (Mariette, 1920–2010), Canadian photographer
Mia Rose (Maria), British-Portuguese singer
Pseudonyms
Mia (singer), Lithuanian singer and television presenter
Mia Couto, pseudonym of António Emílio Leite Couto, Mozambican novelist
Mia Khalifa (born 1993), American media personality and former pornographic actress
Mia Martini, pseudonym of Domenica Berté, Italian singer
Mia Murano (未亜), Japanese model and actress
Mia X, American rapper, singer-songwriter and actress
Fictional characters
Baby Mia, Molly's baby sister that first appears in "Bubble Baby!" in the American animated television series Bubble Guppies
Mia, in the British web series Corner Shop Show
Mia, an English Setter in the Australian series Bluey (TV series)
Mia (.hack)
Mia (Dark Tower)
Mia, a lead character from Lego Friends
Mia, the titular character from Mia and Me
Mia, in the 2016 American film La La Land
Mia, a Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance character
Mia, a Golden Sun character
Mia, a mouse, the lead character in Mia's Big Adventure Collection educational software series
Mia (Two and a Half Men), a character on the television show Two and a Half Men
Mia Allen, from The Evil Dead
Mia Ausa, a Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete character
Mia Dearden, a comic book character
Mía Colucci, in the Argentine telenovela Rebelde Way (2002–03)
Mía Colucci, in the Mexican telenovela Rebelde (2004–06)
Mia Dolan, main character in La La Land, played by Emma Stone
