Gender:

Female

Meaning:

Mine, my own (by association with the Italian word mia)

History & etymology:

Mia is a Scandinavian diminutive of Maria. Alternatively, Mia may be a pet form of Miriam or Michaela.

Despite popular belief, Mia is not a name of Italian origin. Italian possessive pronoun mia and the name Mia are spelled in the same way only by coincidence.

Historically a diminutive for other names, Mia became a separate name in its own right in in 1960s. Its popularity was growing rapidly and Mia reached top ten in USA, Great Britain and Wales in the 2000s.

There is no saint known by the name of Mia. However, St. Maria Michaela Desmaisieres is usually accepted as the Patron Saint of the name Mia.

St. Maria Michaela was a noble lady born in Spain in 1809. She devoted her whole life to charitable work and founded the order of the Handmaidens of the Blessed Sacrament, which was aimed at providing help for prostitutes and the poor. St. Maria Michaela contracted cholera while attending to the women under her care and died in 1865.

Her feast day is celebrated on 24th August.

Alternative spellings & nicknames:

Mea, Meah, Miah, Mya, Myah

Similar names in other languages & name days:

Austria:
24th August: Michaela
Czech Republic
19th October: Michaela
Estonia
30th April: Miia
Finland
30th April: Miia
Germany
24th August: Michaela
Italy
24th August, 29th October: Michela
Poland
29th September, 10th April, 19th June: Michalina
USA
8th September: Mia
16th September: Mya

Famous people named Mia:

Mia Diaz (2001-) - American dancer
Mia Farrow (1945-) - American actress
Mia Grace (1998-) - American singer
Mia Hamm (1972-) - American soccer player
Mia Kirshner (1975-) - Canadian actress
Mia Michaels (1966-) - choreographer
Mia Rose (1988-) - British-Portuguese singer
Mia Wasikowska (1989-) - Australian actress

Fun facts:

Popularity (2015):

USA: 6th  
England and Wales: 9th   
Canada: 15th  
Australia: 3rd  
Ireland: 10th  
Scotland: 20th   
New Zealand: 8th  

Lucky colors: white, pink
Lucky stone: Moonstone
Ruling planet: The Moon
Characteristics: moody, melancholic, loyal, kind, imaginative, creative, compassionate

The main character in the film ‘Princess Diaries’, played by Anne Hathaway, is Mia.