boy's name
Maximus
MAK-si-mus
- Origin Latin
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 3
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (US)
- Births on record 43,468
the United States
#276
2025 births
Maximus was a Roman cognomen meaning the greatest, and it charts in all seven markets we track — England and Wales ranks it 219th, above the United States, which is not where a Latin superlative usually leads.
- Maximus is a name of Latin origin.
- Peaked in 2014, when 2,137 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 2,654 babies in the United States is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1997.
- 3 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Maximus over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1990s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 34 |
| 2000s | 8,618 |
| 2010s | 18,694 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 7,333 |
What Maximus means
Maximus means the greatest, or largest. The Latin is a superlative adjective, so it makes a claim of rank rather than describing a quality the bearer might grow into.
Where Maximus comes from
Maximus is the Latin superlative of magnus, great — literally the greatest. It was a cognomen, the third name marking a branch of a Roman family, and often awarded rather than inherited: Fabius Maximus earned his for wearing Hannibal down, and Pontifex Maximus, the greatest bridge-builder, was the title of Rome's chief priest and is still one of the Pope's. Our records for the given name begin in 1997.
Maximus in use
Maximus peaked in the United States in 2014, when 2,137 babies were registered, and our data marks it stable rather than falling. It charts in all seven markets we track — 219th in England and Wales on 228 births, 276th in the United States on 1,249, 320th in Canada, 400th in Ireland on 10, 490th in Northern Ireland, 517th in Scotland on 6 and 6391st in France on 5 — across 43,468 lifetime births.
How popular is Maximus?
In 2025, Maximus was given to 1,249 babies in the United States, ranking #276 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Where Maximus is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Maximus
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Maximus also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Maximus over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
5 nicknames for Maximus
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Maximus in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- French
- Maxime Maximilien
- Italian
- Max Massimo Massimiliano
- Polish
- Maksymilian
- Spanish
- Maximiliano
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Maximillian
Sibling names for Maximus
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Maximus — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Maximus
What does the name Maximus mean?
The greatest — the Latin superlative of magnus, great.
What is Pontifex Maximus?
The greatest bridge-builder — Rome's chief priest, and still one of the Pope's titles.
Was it inherited?
Often awarded rather than inherited. Fabius Maximus earned his against Hannibal.
Where is Maximus used?
All six markets we track, strongest in England and Wales at 219th.
How popular is the name Maximus?
In 2025, Maximus was given to 1,249 babies in the United States, ranking #276 that year. It is a well-established, commonly used name.
Is Maximus a girl's or a boy's name?
Maximus is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Maximus?
Maximus has 3 syllables.
When was Maximus most popular?
Maximus peaked in 2014, when 2,137 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Maximus?
Maximus is usually shortened to Max, Maxim, Maxie, Maxx and Maxen.
Is Maximus a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Maximus currently ranks #219 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.