Maxwell Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, Boy Names Like Maxwell

Maxwell Name Origin: English
Pronunciation: maks-well
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Maxwell Name Meaning

The meaning of Maxwell is “great spring”, or “great stream”, and has been associated with strength and courage since the Middle Ages. It was believed that those who bore the name Maxwell were blessed with the power to overcome any obstacle that came their way.

Origins of the Name Maxwell

Maxwell is a popular boy’s name with deep historical roots. The name Maxwell is derived from the Scottish surname Maccuswell and is derived from the Old English Maccus and well, meaning “Maccus’ spring”. It is thought that the Maccuswell family originated in the region of Dalriada in what is now modern-day Scotland and Ireland.

Popularity of the Name Maxwell

Maxwell has been a popular name for boys for centuries. In Scotland, it was particularly popular in the 17th century and has remained so to this day. In the United States, it was first recorded in the 19th century and has remained a popular choice ever since, consistently being among the top 100 most popular boy’s names.

Today, the name Maxwell is still going strong. It is a popular name for boys in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and is steadily gaining in popularity in other countries around the world. It has been chosen as the name of several well-known people, including Nobel Prize-winning physicist and mathematician Max Planck, actor Max von Sydow, and writer Max Beerbohm.

Final Thoughts on the Name Maxwell

A Name That Embodies Strength and EnduranceMaxwell is a name that has stood the test of time. It embodies strength, courage, and endurance and is a popular choice for boys around the world. Whether you are looking for a name with a rich history or an inspiring meaning, Maxwell is an excellent choice.

Maxwell Name Popularity

How popular is the name Maxwell? Here’s everything we know.

Year	Rank	# Births	% Births
1910	—	5	0.0014%
1911	—	13	0.0035%
1912	—	48	0.0095%
1913	—	78	0.0138%
1914	—	66	0.0095%
1915	—	108	0.0119%
1916	—	89	0.0092%
1917	—	93	0.0093%
1918	—	84	0.0078%
1919	—	83	0.0079%
1920	—	53	0.0048%
1921	—	50	0.0044%
1922	—	92	0.0083%
1923	—	63	0.0056%
1924	—	59	0.0051%
1925	—	58	0.0051%
1926	—	33	0.003%
1927	—	48	0.0043%
1928	—	53	0.005%
1929	—	89	0.0086%
1930	—	56	0.0054%
1931	—	39	0.004%
1932	—	33	0.0033%
1933	—	26	0.0028%
1934	—	12	0.0012%
1935	—	29	0.003%
1936	—	22	0.0023%
1937	—	15	0.0015%
1938	—	29	0.0028%
1939	—	22	0.0022%
1940	—	21	0.002%
1941	—	28	0.0025%
1942	—	24	0.0019%
1943	—	23	0.0018%
1944	—	20	0.0016%
1945	—	11	0.0009%
1946	—	24	0.0016%
1947	—	17	0.001%
1948	—	11	0.0007%
1949	—	11	0.0007%
1950	—	11	0.0007%
1951	—	25	0.0015%
1952	—	24	0.0014%
1953	—	22	0.0012%
1954	—	25	0.0014%
1955	—	43	0.0023%
1956	—	33	0.0017%
1957	—	18	0.0009%
1958	—	5	0.0003%
1959	—	16	0.0008%
1960	—	12	0.0006%
1961	—	22	0.0012%
1962	—	20	0.0011%
1963	—	18	0.001%
1964	—	28	0.0016%
1965	—	10	0.0006%
1966	—	27	0.0017%
1967	—	19	0.0013%
1968	—	30	0.002%
1969	—	24	0.0016%
1970	—	26	0.0016%
1971	—	13	0.0009%
1972	—	22	0.0016%
1973	—	44	0.0034%
1974	—	42	0.0032%
1975	—	42	0.0033%
1976	—	30	0.0023%
1977	—	67	0.005%
1978	—	55	0.0041%
1979	—	80	0.0057%
1980	—	120	0.0082%
1981	—	139	0.0095%
1982	—	124	0.0083%
1983	—	166	0.0112%
1984	—	236	0.0159%
1985	—	420	0.0277%
1986	—	563	0.0373%
1987	—	977	0.064%
1988	—	1,193	0.0766%
1989	—	1,368	0.0848%
1990	—	1,610	0.0971%
1991	—	1,699	0.1042%
1992	—	1,852	0.116%
1993	—	1,761	0.113%
1994	—	1,695	0.1104%
1995	—	1,819	0.1207%
1996	—	1,885	0.1259%
1997	—	2,307	0.156%
1998	—	2,787	0.1862%
1999	—	3,334	0.2226%
2000	—	3,359	0.2199%
2001	—	3,174	0.2107%
2002	—	3,025	0.2019%
2003	—	3,086	0.2028%
2004	—	2,915	0.1913%
2005	—	2,806	0.1835%
2006	—	2,788	0.1781%
2007	—	2,701	0.1712%
2008	—	3,050	0.1973%
2009	—	3,076	0.2058%
2010	—	3,013	0.2091%
2011	—	3,046	0.2138%
2012	—	3,223	0.2262%
2013	—	3,637	0.2555%
2014	—	3,731	0.2561%
2015	—	3,538	0.2432%
2016	—	3,575	0.248%
2017	—	3,042	0.218%
2018	—	2,870	0.2089%
2019	—	2,609	0.1927%
2020	—	2,400	0.1886%
2021	—	2,348	0.1921%
2022	—	2,085	0.158%
2023	—	1,974	0.1525%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Maxwell

If you like Maxwell, you’ll love these other names like Maxwell.

What names are variants of Maxwell?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Maxwell.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Maxwelle	Mack's stream	English

What names are similar to Maxwell?

Find a name that’s like Maxwell, but just a little bit different.

Name	Meaning	Origin	Popularity	Other Gender
Max	Greatest	English

Lists With Maxwell

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Maxwell.

Siblings of Maxwell

Mamas with kids named Maxwell also have kids with these names.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Karlee	Free man	Latin
Khloe	Green sprout	Greek
Stella	Celestial star	Latin
Finn	Fair	Irish
Weston	West town	English
Henry	Home ruler	English

Share Your Thoughts

10 Comments

Maxwell Buddie Mar 26 at 5:55 pm

That huge name Maxwell also have a very deep significance spiritual background which means A DWELLER IN THE SPIRIT!

Reply
Tess Jan 18 at 4:46 am

My son’s name is Maxwell and I absolutely love it. We usually call him Max but the name fits him very well. He says he really likes it too and is glad it’s his name!

Reply
Emily Wiegand Jun 15 at 10:40 am

We picked Maxwell because it went well with the middle name we liked. Once I saw the meaning, I knew it was the one.

English: Capable
Latin: Great

It’s such a strong name and Max is such a cute nickname! When we tell people his name, they think it’s so unique. I honestly don’t think I personally know anyone named Maxwell.

Reply
Katie Mar 10 at 9:28 am

Our oldest son picked the name. We wanted our son to feel apart of this new journey

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Marie Mar 28 at 1:10 pm

Its a strong less common male name that is two syllables and paired well with brother Henry. Additionally we love the nickname Max. It means great stream.

Reply
Brittany Sep 3 at 7:20 am

The spelling is actually Maxxwell! I chose that name because it was perfect for him and I wanted to call him Maxx!

Reply
Melissa Aug 19 at 5:58 pm

It took us nearly 48 hours to name our son, Maxwell Jacob! We wanted his initials to be MJ… so we went through tons of “M” names and “J” names… ultimately, we narrowed it down to Maxwell… but when we couldn’t decide on the middle name, we let our daughter choose between our 3 favorite “J” names! I love his name! We call him “Maxie” and “Maxie Baxie”!

Reply
Sara Aug 10 at 10:15 am

My daughter named him after Maxwell House coffee

Reply
Alissa Jun 9 at 11:24 pm

Loved the strong name and the nickname is short and easy for his big brother to say.

Reply
Alisha Apr 13 at 4:40 pm

I love the name Maxwell. It’s strong but also has a great nickname -Max. We call our son Max 99% of the time.

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