Maxwell

Maxwell - A very unique male name

Maxwell appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #635. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Maxwell and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Maxwell? 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 Maxwell. The baby boy name Maxwell was given to 1,907 baby boys in 2025, ranking #190 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 769 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Maxwell peaked in popularity 27 years ago in 1999 on position 106.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Maxwell, 1-5?

Maxwell is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Maxwell is currently topping the baby name charts in District of Columbia at position #57 - and is the least popular in South Carolina at position #366.

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 Maxwell is where you live.

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Maxwell origin and meaning

Scottish surname

'Mack's well' — the stream or spring of a man called Maccus, a Norse name

Maxwell is a Scottish border surname from a place by the River Tweed, 'the well of Maccus'. As a first name it has been in US data since 1910, peaked in 2014 alongside the surname-name wave, and has been falling since, while its short form Max stays popular.

Attested etymology

Maxwell is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Maxwell

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

Michael / Miguel / Micheal / Misael / Mikel / Michel / Mikael / Mikhail / Michelle / Mykel /

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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 Maxwell

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 Maxwell 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 Maxwell?

2 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-wel · /ˈmækswɛl/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: MaxWells

Famous bearers

• Maxwell Caulfield — British-American actor known for Grease 2 and Dynasty (b. 1959) Contemporary

Style

SurnameClassic

Why parents choose it

Maxwell is the formal route to Max, with a Scottish surname polish; parents should know the full form is declining even while Max holds on.

Worth knowing

• Almost always shortened to Max, so consider whether you like Max on its own
• Also a famous physics and coffee name (Maxwell's equations, Maxwell House)