The name Mia is of Hebrew, Latin and Scandinavian origin and is a diminutive form of the name Maria or Mary.
It is believed to originally stem from the ancient Egyptian word mr, which means beloved.
The name has since come to be associated with the Italian word mia, meaning mine, and is also recognised as a derivation from the Slavic word mila, meaning dear or darling.
In 2012 it was the seventh most popular name given to baby girls in England and Wales.
Famous people called Mia:
Mia Farrow, actress (born Maria de Lourdes Villiers Farrow)
M.I.A., singer/songwriter (born Mathangi Arulpragasam)
Can be shortened to: Mi, Mimi.
Surnames to avoid pairing Mia with:
Anything you wouldn't want preceded by the words 'Me a...' Surnames beginning with an 'A' might cause problems too, as when said aloud this combination of sounds may result in elision – when two words are slurred together to end up sounding like one.
Similar names:
Mya, Amelia, Emilia, Maria, Mary, Mimi,(Italian), Myriam, Mila, Milly
Masculine variants
Miamin, Myles, Mio, Moe
Celebrities who named their baby Mia
Steve Tyler, singer
Kate Winslet, actress
Keith Duffy, singer in Boyzone
Zara Phillips, royalty