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Moya

Girl name · 3 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Moya: 3 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 3 births in 2009.

A name of Irish and Scottish Gaelic origin, Moya is an anglicised form of Maighread, which itself derives from the Greek Margarites, meaning "pearl". It became established in Scotland through the influence of the medieval Saint Margaret, Queen of Scotland. The name is often associated with the Irish revolutionary and republican activist Moya Llewelyn Davies, a key figure in the early 20th century. In a more modern cultural context, the name is shared by the Australian singer Moya Brennan, though she is perhaps best known internationally as the lead vocalist of Clannad. Interestingly, the name Moya shares its etymological root with the Scottish place name Margaret's Hope in Orkney, a small settlement named after the saint. A notable variant is Moira, which is a more common anglicisation of the same Gaelic root.