- Origin: Sanskrit स्मय
- Meaning: “smile; wonder; miracle; astonishment” also “arrogance and pride.”
- May be a variant transciption of the Arabic, Sumeyya
- Pron: (SMIGH-yuh), rhymes with Maya
- Technically unisex in Indian culture; feminine in Arabic
The name has come into recent use in India. It is most likely derived from the Sanskrit word स्मय (smaya), meaning “smile, wonder; surprise; astonishment.” Yet, it can also mean “arrogance; pride.” It is from the same Indo-European root as the English word, “smile.” The Danish female name, Smilla, is also related. All of these are ultimately derived from Indo-European root *smey- (to laugh, be glad, wonder).
It’s mainly used as a female name, but it does appear as the name of male character in the Purana.
It can also be a variant transliteration of the Arabic female name, Sumeyya.
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