The Baby Name Wizard

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Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Maitreya!

Comments and insights on the name Maitreya: | Edit

Maitreya is pronounced "My - TRAY - uh"

Also, this name is appropriate for a male or a female, like more familiar names such as Pat, Lee, or Robin.

Personal experiences with the name Maitreya: | Edit

I named my daughter Maitreya 26 years ago -- but only after I came up with the "short-name" or "nick-name" Maitri, so she wouldn't have a name that was too big for her while she was small. (By the time she was 3 1/2 and began part-time nursery school, she assumed her full name to all but family and close friends!)

Nicknames for Maitreya: | Edit

Maitri (pronounced "MY - tree")

Meanings and history of the name Maitreya: | Edit

This is the name the Buddhists give the NEXT incarnation of the Buddha, who is expected to manifest at that point in the future when humans have learned the quality known as "maitri," meaning 'unqualified friendliness towards all beings, including oneself."

Famous real-life people named Maitreya: | Edit

There is currently someone living in Great Britain and calling himself Maitreya. He claims he is in fact the returned Buddha Maitreya; although he has followers, this claim is not widely supported in the world-wide Buddhist community.

Maitreya in song, story & screen: | Edit

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