Max Name Meaning

The name Max is derived from the Latin root Maximus, which means “greatest.” The name is associated with strength and power, and it is often given to boys who are expected to grow into strong, successful men.

Origins of the Name Max

Max is derived from the Roman family name Maximus, which was that of a fourth-century saint and martyr. The name Maximus has a long and storied history and was used by Roman generals and emperors. In the Middle Ages, it became popular as a given name in England, France and Germany.

Popularity of the Name Max

Max has been popular in the United States since the early 1900s. It was one of the top ten most popular names for boys in the 1920s and 1930s and by the 1950s, it had become one of the top five most popular boy’s names. It has remained in the top ten most popular boy’s names for over a century and continues to be a favorite choice for parents.

Final Thoughts on the Name Max

Max is a strong, masculine name that is easy to pronounce and spell. It is also a versatile name that can be used for a wide variety of occupations, from professional athletes to business executives. It is also a timeless name that will never go out of style.

Max is a classic name with a long and varied history. It is derived from the Latin root Maximus, meaning “greatest,” and has been popular for over a century. It is a strong, masculine name that is easy to pronounce and spell, and it is also a timeless name that will never go out of style.

Infographic of Max name meaning, which is A shortened form of Maximilian or Maxwell, Max is an English name meaning greatest.
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Max Name Popularity

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

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 — 227 0.0645%
1911 — 295 0.0792%
1912 — 693 0.1374%
1913 — 865 0.1526%
1914 — 1,123 0.1611%
1915 — 1,416 0.1559%
1916 — 1,474 0.1526%
1917 — 1,492 0.1491%
1918 — 1,510 0.1407%
1919 — 1,433 0.1369%
1920 — 1,540 0.1385%
1921 — 1,538 0.1343%
1922 — 1,496 0.1343%
1923 — 1,424 0.1271%
1924 — 1,381 0.1189%
1925 — 1,362 0.1205%
1926 — 1,239 0.1126%
1927 — 1,207 0.109%
1928 — 1,387 0.1296%
1929 — 1,321 0.1275%
1930 — 1,156 0.1107%
1931 — 1,162 0.1177%
1932 — 1,140 0.1154%
1933 — 1,104 0.1185%
1934 — 1,313 0.1358%
1935 — 1,269 0.1306%
1936 — 1,229 0.1276%
1937 — 1,083 0.1099%
1938 — 1,142 0.1116%
1939 — 956 0.094%
1940 — 932 0.0877%
1941 — 894 0.0794%
1942 — 949 0.0752%
1943 — 847 0.0649%
1944 — 739 0.0596%
1945 — 773 0.0634%
1946 — 813 0.0551%
1947 — 833 0.0499%
1948 — 721 0.0452%
1949 — 740 0.046%
1950 — 735 0.0456%
1951 — 772 0.0455%
1952 — 727 0.0416%
1953 — 704 0.0398%
1954 — 703 0.0385%
1955 — 694 0.0377%
1956 — 731 0.0387%
1957 — 714 0.0371%
1958 — 718 0.038%
1959 — 668 0.0352%
1960 — 629 0.0332%
1961 — 613 0.0325%
1962 — 536 0.0292%
1963 — 520 0.029%
1964 — 476 0.027%
1965 — 380 0.0232%
1966 — 416 0.0266%
1967 — 354 0.0233%
1968 — 362 0.0241%
1969 — 334 0.0217%
1970 — 451 0.0283%
1971 — 346 0.023%
1972 — 343 0.0252%
1973 — 390 0.0301%
1974 — 367 0.0282%
1975 — 373 0.029%
1976 — 359 0.0279%
1977 — 345 0.0256%
1978 — 368 0.0274%
1979 — 417 0.0296%
1980 — 443 0.0303%
1981 — 458 0.0312%
1982 — 412 0.0276%
1983 — 490 0.0332%
1984 — 596 0.0401%
1985 — 714 0.047%
1986 — 895 0.0593%
1987 — 1,443 0.0946%
1988 — 1,364 0.0875%
1989 — 1,587 0.0983%
1990 — 1,782 0.1075%
1991 — 1,811 0.1111%
1992 — 1,857 0.1163%
1993 — 1,871 0.12%
1994 — 1,603 0.1045%
1995 — 1,547 0.1026%
1996 — 1,459 0.0974%
1997 — 1,673 0.1131%
1998 — 2,143 0.1432%
1999 — 2,290 0.1529%
2000 — 2,341 0.1532%
2001 — 2,398 0.1592%
2002 — 2,313 0.1543%
2003 — 2,452 0.1612%
2004 — 2,472 0.1622%
2005 — 2,487 0.1627%
2006 — 2,632 0.1681%
2007 — 2,869 0.1818%
2008 — 3,365 0.2177%
2009 — 3,955 0.2646%
2010 — 3,840 0.2665%
2011 — 3,953 0.2775%
2012 — 3,689 0.2589%
2013 — 3,509 0.2465%
2014 — 3,489 0.2395%
2015 — 3,411 0.2344%
2016 — 3,412 0.2366%
2017 — 3,121 0.2236%
2018 — 2,850 0.2074%
2019 — 2,726 0.2014%
2020 — 2,403 0.1888%
2021 — 2,395 0.1959%
2022 — 2,375 0.18%
2023 — 2,194 0.1695%

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Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Max

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

What names are variants of Max?

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

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Maks

Latin

Maxence
Maxson
Maxx

Greatest

Greek

What names sound like Max?

If you like how Max sounds, you might also like these names that sound like Max.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Maxey

Greatest

Latin

Maxie

Greatest

Latin

Maxy

Greatest

Latin

Lists With Max

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

Siblings of Max

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

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Eva

Life

Hebrew

Baby

Infant

English

Alistair

Man's defender

Greek

12 Comments

  1. Named after a friend Maximilian Nightengale, less used name, also named after Maximilian Kolbe a pretty incredible historical figure.

    Reply

  2. Max is short for Maximus. We chose the name as all our children have strong Greek based names.

    Reply

  3. Felt like it would suit any boy, no matter what they look like or what type of personality they have

    Reply

  4. It has the same initial with me and we both love how it sounds as the phonetics matches his last name

    Reply

  5. My husband actually picked his first name. He ran across a classic video game and favorite of his called Max Payne. I like that his name is short, sweet and distinctive. Name essentially means the greatest. He for sure has been one of the greatest blessings. Since he’s been born he’s done everything to the MAX – 0 to 100 smh lol. May he be surrounded by God’s love and protection and live a blessed life to the MAX!! (Amen)

    Reply

  6. It’s a beautiful name

    Reply

  7. I chose max because i wanted a name that started with the letter M and wasn’t that long something simple and short

    Reply

  8. We both liked the name we chose it because it doesn’t run in the family

    Reply

  9. We wanted something short, easy to say, easy to spell, and not too trendy or popular.

    Reply

  10. Max loves his name! He sees it everywhere and finds that fun. We chose the name because it’s short and sweet like our names. It means “the greatest” and that was a perfect fit for our boy. Oh, and mean nicknames? Kids don’t even know what maxie pads are anymore. Lol

    Reply

    • Hey my names max it’s short for maximus and I’m only 10 I love my nane

      Reply

      • my name is max too, no way

        suuuuuuuuuuuiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

        Reply

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