maon

Maon is a place name of Hebrew origin that appears in historical, religious, and contemporary contexts. The earliest widely attested use is in the Hebrew Bible, where Maon is described as a town in the southern part of the land allocated to the tribes of Simeon and Judah, in or near the Negev. The exact site is uncertain, and various scholarly proposals have linked Maon to different archaeological locations in southern Israel. The name itself derives from the Hebrew ma’on, meaning dwelling, habitation, or shelter, a common element in ancient and biblical toponyms.

In modern times, Maon has been used as a geographic name in the Levant. It has been applied to various geographical features and inhabited localities in the region, reflecting the continuity of biblical toponyms in contemporary geography. The spelling Maon can also appear as Ma’on or Ma’on in transliteration, depending on the source.

Beyond geography, Maon is also used as a surname or given name in some cultures, though it remains relatively uncommon. In fiction and media, Maon may be chosen as a character name or as the name of a fictional locale. Because there is limited consensus on exact modern identifications, discussions of Maon typically emphasize its historical and linguistic context as a biblical toponym rather than a single, well-defined present-day place.