Maxwell Name Meaning

The meaning of Maxwell is “great spring”, or “great stream”, and has been associated with strength and courage since the Middle Ages. It was believed that those who bore the name Maxwell were blessed with the power to overcome any obstacle that came their way.

Origins of the Name Maxwell

Maxwell is a popular boy’s name with deep historical roots. The name Maxwell is derived from the Scottish surname Maccuswell and is derived from the Old English Maccus and well, meaning “Maccus’ spring”. It is thought that the Maccuswell family originated in the region of Dalriada in what is now modern-day Scotland and Ireland.

Popularity of the Name Maxwell

Maxwell has been a popular name for boys for centuries. In Scotland, it was particularly popular in the 17th century and has remained so to this day. In the United States, it was first recorded in the 19th century and has remained a popular choice ever since, consistently being among the top 100 most popular boy’s names.

Today, the name Maxwell is still going strong. It is a popular name for boys in both the United States and the United Kingdom, and is steadily gaining in popularity in other countries around the world. It has been chosen as the name of several well-known people, including Nobel Prize-winning physicist and mathematician Max Planck, actor Max von Sydow, and writer Max Beerbohm.

Final Thoughts on the Name Maxwell

A Name That Embodies Strength and EnduranceMaxwell is a name that has stood the test of time. It embodies strength, courage, and endurance and is a popular choice for boys around the world. Whether you are looking for a name with a rich history or an inspiring meaning, Maxwell is an excellent choice.

Infographic of Maxwell name meaning, which is Maxwell is an English name meaning Mack's stream.
Ask your friends & family about Maxwell…

Maxwell Name Popularity

How popular is the name Maxwell? Here’s everything we know.

Year Rank # Births % Births
1910 590 5 0.0014%
1911 461 13 0.0035%
1912 412 48 0.0095%
1913 388 78 0.0138%
1914 473 66 0.0095%
1915 450 108 0.0119%
1916 507 89 0.0092%
1917 507 93 0.0093%
1918 555 84 0.0078%
1919 549 83 0.0079%
1920 679 53 0.0048%
1921 704 50 0.0044%
1922 560 92 0.0083%
1923 651 63 0.0056%
1924 671 59 0.0051%
1925 664 58 0.0051%
1926 803 33 0.003%
1927 703 48 0.0043%
1928 669 53 0.005%
1929 523 89 0.0086%
1930 644 56 0.0054%
1931 709 39 0.004%
1932 770 33 0.0033%
1933 792 26 0.0028%
1934 1,077 12 0.0012%
1935 775 29 0.003%
1936 846 22 0.0023%
1937 938 15 0.0015%
1938 774 29 0.0028%
1939 833 22 0.0022%
1940 873 21 0.002%
1941 803 28 0.0025%
1942 852 24 0.0019%
1943 881 23 0.0018%
1944 897 20 0.0016%
1945 1,053 11 0.0009%
1946 887 24 0.0016%
1947 1,028 17 0.001%
1948 1,172 11 0.0007%
1949 1,152 11 0.0007%
1950 1,169 11 0.0007%
1951 916 25 0.0015%
1952 925 24 0.0014%
1953 964 22 0.0012%
1954 948 25 0.0014%
1955 812 43 0.0023%
1956 892 33 0.0017%
1957 1,074 18 0.0009%
1958 1,511 5 0.0003%
1959 1,136 16 0.0008%
1960 1,199 12 0.0006%
1961 1,023 22 0.0012%
1962 1,032 20 0.0011%
1963 1,059 18 0.001%
1964 948 28 0.0016%
1965 1,270 10 0.0006%
1966 922 27 0.0017%
1967 1,007 19 0.0013%
1968 896 30 0.002%
1969 1,006 24 0.0016%
1970 1,037 26 0.0016%
1971 1,265 13 0.0009%
1972 1,070 22 0.0016%
1973 866 44 0.0034%
1974 894 42 0.0032%
1975 913 42 0.0033%
1976 1,017 30 0.0023%
1977 794 67 0.005%
1978 863 55 0.0041%
1979 769 80 0.0057%
1980 669 120 0.0082%
1981 621 139 0.0095%
1982 654 124 0.0083%
1983 578 166 0.0112%
1984 500 236 0.0159%
1985 390 420 0.0277%
1986 329 563 0.0373%
1987 232 977 0.064%
1988 214 1,193 0.0766%
1989 207 1,368 0.0848%
1990 188 1,610 0.0971%
1991 187 1,699 0.1042%
1992 170 1,852 0.116%
1993 181 1,761 0.113%
1994 181 1,695 0.1104%
1995 178 1,819 0.1207%
1996 177 1,885 0.1259%
1997 146 2,307 0.156%
1998 135 2,787 0.1862%
1999 106 3,334 0.2226%
2000 113 3,359 0.2199%
2001 123 3,174 0.2107%
2002 129 3,025 0.2019%
2003 131 3,086 0.2028%
2004 136 2,915 0.1913%
2005 140 2,806 0.1835%
2006 149 2,788 0.1781%
2007 153 2,701 0.1712%
2008 134 3,050 0.1973%
2009 132 3,076 0.2058%
2010 133 3,013 0.2091%
2011 132 3,046 0.2138%
2012 113 3,223 0.2262%
2013 108 3,637 0.2555%
2014 106 3,731 0.2561%
2015 113 3,538 0.2432%
2016 111 3,575 0.248%
2017 133 3,042 0.218%
2018 134 2,870 0.2089%
2019 147 2,609 0.1927%
2020 150 2,400 0.1886%
2021 162 2,348 0.1921%
2022 177 2,085 0.158%

Alaska (AK)

Alabama (AL)

Arkansas (AR)

Arizona (AZ)

California (CA)

Colorado (CO)

Connecticut (CT)

District of Columbia (DC)

Delaware (DE)

Florida (FL)

Georgia (GA)

Hawaii (HI)

Iowa (IA)

Idaho (ID)

Illinois (IL)

Indiana (IN)

Kansas (KS)

Kentucky (KY)

Louisiana (LA)

Massachusetts (MA)

Maryland (MD)

Maine (ME)

Michigan (MI)

Minnesota (MN)

Missouri (MO)

Mississippi (MS)

Montana (MT)

North Carolina (NC)

North Dakota (ND)

Nebraska (NE)

New Hampshire (NH)

New Jersey (NJ)

New Mexico (NM)

Nevada (NV)

New York (NY)

Ohio (OH)

Oklahoma (OK)

Oregon (OR)

Pennsylvania (PA)

Rhode Island (RI)

South Carolina (SC)

South Dakota (SD)

Tennessee (TN)

Texas (TX)

Utah (UT)

Virginia (VA)

Vermont (VT)

Washington (WA)

Wisconsin (WI)

West Virginia (WV)

Wyoming (WY)

Data via SSA.gov.

Names Like Maxwell

If you like Maxwell, you’ll love these other names like Maxwell.

What names are variants of Maxwell?

Mix it up with these names that are a variation of the name Maxwell.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Maxwelle

Mack's stream

English

What names are similar to Maxwell?

Find a name that’s like Maxwell, but just a little bit different.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Max

Greatest

English

Lists With Maxwell

Find inspiration in these baby boy name lists featuring the name Maxwell.

Siblings of Maxwell

Mamas with kids named Maxwell also have kids with these names.

Name Meaning Origin Popularity Other Gender
Karlee

Free man

Latin

Khloe

Green sprout

Greek

Stella

Celestial star

Latin

Finn

Fair

Irish

Weston

West town

English

Henry

Home ruler

English

9 Comments

  1. My son’s name is Maxwell and I absolutely love it. We usually call him Max but the name fits him very well. He says he really likes it too and is glad it’s his name!

    Reply

  2. We picked Maxwell because it went well with the middle name we liked. Once I saw the meaning, I knew it was the one.

    English: Capable
    Latin: Great

    It’s such a strong name and Max is such a cute nickname! When we tell people his name, they think it’s so unique. I honestly don’t think I personally know anyone named Maxwell.

    Reply

  3. Our oldest son picked the name. We wanted our son to feel apart of this new journey

    Reply

  4. Its a strong less common male name that is two syllables and paired well with brother Henry. Additionally we love the nickname Max. It means great stream.

    Reply

  5. The spelling is actually Maxxwell! I chose that name because it was perfect for him and I wanted to call him Maxx!

    Reply

  6. It took us nearly 48 hours to name our son, Maxwell Jacob! We wanted his initials to be MJ… so we went through tons of “M” names and “J” names… ultimately, we narrowed it down to Maxwell… but when we couldn’t decide on the middle name, we let our daughter choose between our 3 favorite “J” names! I love his name! We call him “Maxie” and “Maxie Baxie”!

    Reply

  7. My daughter named him after Maxwell House coffee

    Reply

  8. Loved the strong name and the nickname is short and easy for his big brother to say.

    Reply

  9. I love the name Maxwell. It’s strong but also has a great nickname -Max. We call our son Max 99% of the time.

    Reply

Share your thoughts on the name Maxwell

Your email address will not be published. All fields are required *

*