Moa

Moa is a Swedish first name for girls that carries the meaning 'the mother'. It has its roots in the Swedish language area.

What does the name Moa mean?

The name Moa, widely used as a female first name in Sweden, translates to 'the mother'. It is a pet form of the Swedish term 'mor', which also means 'mother'. In Swedish, Moa is pronounced as 'Mua'. Additionally, the name is used by the Swedish author Moa Martinson, whose birth name is Helga Maria Martinson. In further contexts, the name Moa is also used in fairy chess, a special variant of chess. Biologically, the name refers to the Moa, an extinct species of ostrich that, at a height of up to 3 meters, is considered the largest bird species to have ever lived. These birds were predominantly found in New Zealand. In Samoa, the Moa is revered as the 'sacred chicken' and can also be translated as 'chicken' or 'earth core', which ultimately led to the naming of the small island nation.

Where does the name Moa come from?

The name Moa has Old Swedish roots and means 'the mother'. It is derived from the Old Swedish word 'mor' for 'mother'. The languages used are Swedish and Scandinavian.

How do you pronounce Moa?

Moa is pronounced like 'Mua'.

Popularity

In Germany, Moa is considered a rare first name. In 2023, it ranked 5,633rd in the list of the most common female first names. Its best ranking was in 2009, when it reached 2,111th place. Over the last ten years, the name has been given about 30 times, placing it 4,651st in the ten-year statistics. From 2010 to 2024, Moa ranks 4,368th.

Nicknames & pet names

Mi / Mo / Moalein / Moie / Molly / Momo / Motoffel / Murli / Möchen / Möhrchen

Famous people

• Moa Arimoto (Japanese actress)
• Moa Gammel (actress from Sweden)
• Moa Hjelmer (Swedish sprinter)
• Moa Kikuchi (Japanese singer)
• Moa Lignell (singer from Sweden)
• Moa Madicken Öberg (Swedish model)
• Moa Martinson (Swedish writer)
• Moa Martinson (Helga Maria Schwartz) (writer)