Maxine

Did you know?

A few things about Maxine you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.

⭐ Famous Maxine

Maxine Hong Kingston

Chinese American author

Choose Maxine and your child shares a first name with Maxine Hong Kingston, a Chinese American author. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Maxine, like who?” Maxine Hong Kingston's Wikipedia article is available in 23 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.

Read about Maxine Hong Kingston on Wikipedia ↗ (opens in a new tab)

Photo: David Shankbone, CC BY 2.5 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

• 👶How commonAbout 1 in every 2,693 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Maxine, 597 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Maxine would very likely be the only one.
• 📜HistoryMaxine first shows up in US birth records in 1884, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 141 years since.
• 🏆Best yearIt was far more popular in 1923, when it ranked #76. Today it's #496, so it could be due a comeback.
• 📈Then vs nowMaxine is 3.8× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 10,204 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 2,693.
• 🚀TrendMaxine has climbed 243 places in the US rankings over the last five years and now sits at #496. Fast risers like this often keep climbing, so expect to hear it more.
• 📍Where it's lovedMaxine is most popular in Hawaii, where it ranks #136, followed by Oregon (#273) and Washington (#273). It's in the top 1,000 in 31 states.
• 💬MeaningIn English, Maxine means “greatest”. Our records link it to English, French and Latin roots.

About the name Maxine

Maxine is a girl name of English, French and Latin origin meaning “greatest”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-ine”. US birth records list Maxine for girls from 1884 to 2025, in 139 of those 142 years. Its best year was 1923, when it ranked #76 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #496, with 597 babies.

Origin:English namesFrench namesLatin names