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Home Max
Boy

Max

MAKS

The name Max is a short form of several Latin names beginning with Maxim-, primarily Maximilian and Maximus, both derived from the Latin maximus, the superlative of magnus, meaning “greatest.” The Proto-Indo-European root *meg- (“great”) underlies a

US Rank
No. 175
Births
2,120
Peak Year
2011

wide family of words across Indo-European languages, including the Greek megas, the Sanskrit mahat, and English much and mickle.

The name has functioned as a stand-alone given name since at least the 19th century, particularly in German-speaking countries.

What the name Max means

The Latin Maximus was a common Roman cognomen borne by emperors, generals, and saints, including Magnus Maximus, the Western Roman emperor who ruled from 383 to 388 CE, and Saint Maximus the Confessor, the 7th-century Byzantine theologian.

The name Maximilian was coined by the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III in 1459 by combining the names of 2 Roman generals, Quintus Fabius Maximus and Scipio Aemilianus, for his son the future Emperor Maximilian I.

The name became dynastic in the Habsburg line.

Cultural and scientific bearers of the short form include the physicist Max Planck (1858-1947), founder of quantum theory and Nobel laureate of 1918; the sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920), author of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism;

the painter Max Ernst, a leading figure of Dada and Surrealism; and the children’s book character Max, hero of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are (1963), one of the most beloved picture books of the 20th century.

Max entered the SSA top 1000 for boys in the late 19th century with German immigration and reached its first US peak in the 1910s before declining mid-century.

It returned to favor sharply after 1985, breaking the top 100 in 1995 and remaining there ever since.

By the 2020s, Max sat in the top 150, used widely across all American demographic groups and reinforced by the Mad Max film franchise, the cartoon dog Max from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and tennis player Max Mirnyi.

US popularity over time

Numerology and symbolism

Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.

M(4) + A(1) + X(6) = 11
Destiny number
11
Intuition
Sum of all letters, reduced to a single digit
Soul urge
1
Independence
Sum of vowels only - reveals inner desires
Expression
1
Confidence
Sum of consonants - how others perceive you
Letters 3
Vowels / consonants 1 / 2
Birthstone Pearl
Lucky color Silver

Famous people named Max

Max Frisch (b. 1911) Actor and performer (1911-1991)
Max Frisch (b. 1911) Actor and performer (1911-1991)
Max Frisch (b. 1911) Actor and performer (1911-1991)
Max Verstappen (b. 1997) Actor and performer (born 1997)
Max Verstappen (b. 1997) Actor and performer (born 1997)
Max Verstappen (b. 1997) Actor and performer (born 1997)
Max Euwe (b. 1901) Author and writer (1901-1981)
Max Euwe (b. 1901) Author and writer (1901-1981)
Max Euwe (b. 1901) Author and writer (1901-1981)

Max - similar names

Theodore
From ancient Greek Theodōros: “theos” (god) + “dōron” (gift)...
Lucas
From Latin “Lucanus” meaning man from Lucania, via Greek Lou...
Sebastian
From Greek “sebastós” meaning venerable or revered, via Lati...
Alexander
From Greek “alexein” (to defend) + “aner” (man), meaning def...
Luke
From Latin “Lucanus” meaning man from Lucania, a region of s...
Christopher
bearer of Christ
Andrew
manly, brave
Atlas
to carry
Milo
gracious
Leon
lion
Jason
healer
Nicolas
victory of the people

Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity

Explore More Names Like Max

Boy Names Greek Names Starting with M Popular Names
Researched by MyGall Research · Updated April 15, 2026
Boy Greek 1 syllable greatest

Where it ranks highest

DC No. 48 HI No. 79 NY No. 94 VT No. 97 MA No. 105 CT No. 108 UT No. 110 AK No. 114 WY No. 120 NH No. 124 ID No. 128 ME No. 129 IL No. 131 CO No. 133 NJ No. 137 CA No. 142 PA No. 146 FL No. 149 RI No. 158 WA No. 159 MD No. 166 IA No. 170 ND No. 174 NM No. 180 MN No. 183 VA No. 184 WI No. 186 OR No. 186 MI No. 186 MO No. 196 LA No. 203 NE No. 215 DE No. 222 KS No. 225 NV No. 227 SD No. 228 OK No. 229 OH No. 231 NC No. 233 WV No. 235 TX No. 236 KY No. 241 AZ No. 241 IN No. 244 AR No. 247 GA No. 261 MT No. 281 TN No. 298 AL No. 358 SC No. 377 MS No. 390

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Quick Stats

US Rank
No. 175
Births
2,120
Peak Year
2011

Related Origins

  • Greek

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  • No. 5 Mia
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  • No. 2 Noah
  • No. 3 Oliver
  • No. 4 Theodore
  • No. 5 James
  • No. 6 Henry
  • No. 7 Mateo
  • No. 8 Elijah
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By Origin

  • English 672
  • Hebrew 252
  • Latin 232
  • Greek 191
  • Spanish 167
  • Germanic 157
  • French 145
  • Italian 89
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