迈（mai）
Name meaning
迈 (Mai) means to stride forward; surpass. As a given-name character, it is best read through image, temperament and pairing logic: to stride forward should become a person-like quality, not a plain word-list entry.
Practical naming use
迈 (Mai) is read as mai and carries the core meaning of to stride forward; surpass. In a Chinese given name, it should be treated as a focused semantic signal rather than decoration: the character gives the name a recognizable image, a Mandarin sound and a cultural direction. For English speakers, it works best when the second character clarifies the personality behind the image, so the full two-character given name feels explainable, natural and not randomly translated. Its Water element label is based on meaning and imagery, not on a fortune claim.
Pair 迈 (Mai) with characters that make the image more human: clarity for intellectual names, cultural characters for refinement, calm characters for steadiness, and spacious characters for scale. Avoid a second character that repeats the same idea too closely.
迈明 (Maiming): Mai contributes to stride forward, surpass; Ming adds brightness, clarity.
Historical / name-use references
苏迈 (Su Mai)
Su Mai was the eldest son of Su Shi in the Northern Song. His name directly contains the target character, giving it a Song literati family anchor.