National Mia Day, which takes place every year on November 1, is an extra special day as it celebrates a three-letter name that has constantly been placed in the top 10 of the world’s most popular names. If you think about it, Mia is pretty much royalty in the world of naming babies, with so many Mias running around both as kids and grown-ups. There is a certain charm with a three-letter name that other names don’t have, and that is how easy it is to spell, pronounce and write. It is also an automatic nickname, as most people will just stick to Mia, so no unwanted weird names.
History of National Mia Day
Mia is derived from Maria, which is taken from the Hebrew name Miryam. Mia is thought to have originated from the ancient Egyptian word ‘Mr,’ which means ‘beloved.’ Since then, the name has been associated with the Italian word ‘mia’, which means ‘my,’ and the Slavic term ‘Mila,’ which means ‘dear’ or ‘sweetheart.’
Mia began as a nickname and was not documented as a given name in the United States until the 1960s. Mia is frequently used in several Latin languages, including Spanish and Italian, as well as Hebrew. It’s also used as an abbreviation for Maria in Scandinavian nations. Mia is a common Israeli name that is sometimes abbreviated as Michal. Mia has traditionally been the feminine version of the name. However, Mio is a common name for males in Sweden and Germany.
Mia is and has been undergoing a phase. The name continued to grow into the 1990s and 2000s. According to 2020 Social Security Administration data, Mia is the eighth most prevalent girl’s name in the United States. Since 2009, the three-letter name has constantly placed in the top 10 and the top 50 since 2002.
Mia Farrow is a well-known Mia in the United States. Mia joined the top 1,000 baby names list for the first time in 1964. At the same time, Farrow rose to prominence as Allison Mackenzie in the evening drama “Peyton Place.” Farrow has featured in over 50 films and received several honors, including a Golden Globe nomination and three BAFTA nods.
National Mia Day timeline
Mia becomes the seventh most popular name in Australia.
Garry Marshall’s film “The Princess Diaries” premieres, starring Anne Hathaway as the character Mia Thermopolis, the heir to the throne of Genovia.
Quentin Tarantino’s film “Pulp Fiction” premieres and features Mia Wallace, a now-famous character played by Uma Thurman.
Mia Wasikowska, the Australian actress, is born in Canberra.
National Mia Day FAQs
What is M.I.A. known for?
M.I.A., born Maya Arulpragasam on July 18, 1975, in London, England, is a British-born Sri Lankan rapper who rose to prominence with politically charged dance music. However, she spent most of her youth in northern Sri Lanka.
Who was Mia Wallace based on?
Mia Wallace’s appearance was inspired by actress Anna Karina, a famous French New Wave actress, and star of “Bande à part.” The wig worn by Uma Thurman was a direct copy of Karina’s iconic hairstyle.
What is Mia Wasikowska famous for?
Mia Wasikowska is an Australian actress best known for portraying Alice in “Alice in Wonderland.” She was born in Canberra, Australia, and raised there. Her parents are photographers Marzena Wasikowska and John Reid.
National Mia Day Activities
Watch “Pulp Fiction”
Few films have captured the zeitgeist as much as this one by Quentin Tarantino. There are many ingenious and cinematic elements worth praising in it, but one of the standouts is Uma Thurman’s performance as Mia Wallace, the wife of a crime boss. For years since the film's initial release, the character has been celebrated, and people dress up as her for Halloween often. The performance even got Thurman an Academy Award nomination.
Read “The Princess Diaries”
Meg Cabot's “The Princess Diaries” is a series of epistolary young adult books, the first volume of which was released in 2000. The story centers around Amelia “Mia” Thermopolis, a New York girl who realizes she is a princess. To celebrate National Mia Day, take a trip down memory lane and enjoy the books.
Email your friend, Mia
If you have a friend or acquaintance named Mia, send her a thoughtful email in which you remind her of how you met, how long you have known each other and why you felt compelled to send her the message to celebrate National Mia Day. Chances are, she will feel very special and start a lovely exchange with you via email in which the two of you will learn to get to know each other more.
5 Famous Mias You May Not Know
Mia Zapata
As the lead singer of the Seattle punk band The Gits in the United States, Zapata was killed on her way home from a music venue after earning fame in the nascent grunge subculture.
Mia
Mia, born Vilija Pilibaitytė, is a Lithuanian singer, songwriter, and television host.
Mia Brownell
Brownell is an American painter famous for her abstract and otherworldly work.
Mia Davies
Davies, an Australian politician, is currently the leader of the National Party in Western Australia.
Mia Tyler
Tyler is a rock singer Steven Tyler’s daughter and an actress in the United States.
Why We Love National Mia Day
It’s in the top 10
For years now, Mia has been featured in the top ten lists of the most popular names worldwide and continues to become more and more popular each time a baby is named Mia. Many reasons could make for why it is such a famous name, but for us, it rounds off a special day so perfectly it’s hard to picture any other name featuring as a National Day.
Many fictional characters are linked to it
Through books, film, and audio stories, Mia has been in use for ages, from iconic pop culture characters like Mia from “The Princess Diaries” to cult film classics and the epitome of cool girls worldwide, Mia Wallace. It’s an easy-to-remember name with grit and can relate to any character.
It celebrates a rare three-letter name
Think about it: names made up of three letters can be highly beneficial in more ways than one, especially when it comes to spelling and pronouncing them. Mia, one of our favorite three-letter names, is an excellent example of that. Then, there is also the fact that it’s already a nickname; no unnecessary shortened names or silly mixed names will happen. It’s Mia and always will be.
National Mia Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | November 1 | Saturday |
| 2026 | November 1 | Sunday |
| 2027 | November 1 | Monday |
| 2028 | November 1 | Wednesday |
| 2029 | November 1 | Thursday |
