Maxwell
MeaningMack's stream · Scottish
- US rank
- #189
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #106 in 1999
1,924 babies were named Maxwell in the US in 2025. It has dropped 43 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1917–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Maxwell you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Maxwell
Maxwell
Brazilian footballer
Choose Maxwell and your child shares a first name with Maxwell, a Brazilian footballer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Maxwell, like who?” Maxwell's Wikipedia article is available in 44 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Maxwell on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Liondartois, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 888 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Maxwell, 1,924 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Maxwell would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryMaxwell has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Maxwells, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1999, when it reached #106.
- TrendMaxwell has slipped 43 places over the last five years and now sits at #189. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedMaxwell is most popular in Rhode Island, where it ranks #52, followed by Washington, D.C. (#55) and Connecticut (#90). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Scottish, Maxwell means “Mack's stream”. Our records link it to English and Scottish roots.
About the name Maxwell
Maxwell is a boy name of English and Scottish origin meaning “Mack's stream”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with M and ending in “-ell”. US birth records list Maxwell for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 145 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1999, when it ranked #106 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #189, with 1,924 babies.
Origin:English namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 2.5 | 405,405 girls |
| 1980s | 1.4 | 740,741 girls |
| 1990s | 2.5 | 392,157 girls |
| 2000s | 3.2 | 312,500 girls |
| 2010s | 20 | 48,804 girls |
| 2020s | 25 | 40,268 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 65 | 15,277 boys |
| 1890s | 115 | 8,733 boys |
| 1900s | 170 | 5,897 boys |
| 1910s | 194 | 5,143 boys |
| 1920s | 105 | 9,502 boys |
| 1930s | 70 | 14,339 boys |
| 1940s | 44 | 22,779 boys |
| 1950s | 36 | 27,941 boys |
| 1960s | 33 | 30,139 boys |
| 1970s | 59 | 16,981 boys |
| 1980s | 307 | 3,253 boys |
| 1990s | 1,078 | 928 boys |
| 2000s | 1,508 | 663 boys |
| 2010s | 1,723 | 580 boys |
| 2020s | 1,255 | 797 boys |
Other spellings of Maxwell
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Maxwell
What does the name Maxwell mean?
Maxwell means “Mack's stream” in Scottish.
What is the origin of the name Maxwell?
Maxwell has English, Scottish roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Maxwell a boy or girl name?
Maxwell is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Maxwell?
Maxwell ranked #189 for US boys in 2025, given to 1,924 babies. Its best year was 1999 (#106).