May

May is an English given name with two overlapping origins: it functions as a diminutive of Margaret or Mary, and it also derives directly from the month of May, which itself takes its name from the Latin Maia, a Roman goddess associated with spring and growth. Its use as a given name flourished in the nineteenth century alongside the fashionable trend of naming girls after months and seasons. The name was widely popular in the English-speaking world and was borne by notable figures including the American poet May Swenson. Related forms and cognates include Mae, Mei, and Maja.