Max

Max - A very unique male name

Max appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #118. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Max and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Max? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Max. The baby boy name Max was given to 2,012 baby boys in 2025, ranking #179 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 729 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Max peaked in popularity 15 years ago in 2011 on position 96.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Max, 1-5?

Max is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Max is currently topping the baby name charts in District of Columbia at position #41 - and is the least popular in Mississippi at position #453.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Max is where you live.

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Max origin and meaning

Short form of Maximilian, Maxwell and Maximus (Latin)

From Latin maximus, 'greatest', in its long forms

Max is the short form that outgrew its long names: Maximilian (itself combining Maximus with Aemilianus), Maximus and the surname Maxwell all shorten to it. It has been a standalone name in US data since 1910, peaked in 2009, and has eased down slowly since.

Attested etymology

Max is a 3 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Max, pop culture references for the name Max and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Max

We've found the following names that sound similar to Max, sorted by popularity.

Mike / Micah / Moses / Mack / Moises / Messiah / Mickey / Moshe / Mekhi / Makai /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Max

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Max a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Max?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

maks · /mæks/

Around the world

• Max (German) — Used as-is, a long-standing independent name in German
• Max (French) — Used as-is as a short form of Maxime and Maximilien

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Maxie

Famous bearers

• Max Planck — German physicist who founded quantum theory (1858–1947) Historical
• Max Verstappen — Dutch Formula One world champion (b. 1997) Contemporary
• Max Greenfield — Actor known for New Girl (b. 1979) Contemporary

Style

Short formNickname nameClassic

Why parents choose it

Max is the archetypal short, strong boy's name — complete in itself, impossible to misspell, and familiar without being overused right now.

Worth knowing

• People will regularly ask what it is short for
• Also an extremely popular name for dogs