Max
Boy name · #180 in 2025 · Distinctive
Max ranks #180 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 2,025 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #117, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 889 boys born in 2025 was named Max.
Babies named Max per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Max first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 52 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2009, when 3,958 boys were named Max — good for #104 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Max against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Max in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Max is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Max is most common
Geography matters for names, and Max is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Max is most common in DC (7.1 per 1,000), AK (4.4 per 1,000), ND (3.3 per 1,000), MT (2.9 per 1,000), NJ (2.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 1.4 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Max is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Max
Max belongs to the Maximilian family — closely related nicknames and spellings of the same name.
Counted as one name, the Maximilian family went to about 2,636 boys in 2025 — together they'd rank around #137, versus #180 for Max alone.
Names like Max
Statistically, parents drawn to Max tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Maxwell, Chase, Ivan, Evan, and Maddox.
MaxwellChaseIvanEvanMaddoxMiguelColeJonah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Max | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,025 | #180 |
| 2024 | 2,126 | #175 |
| 2023 | 2,205 | #163 |
| 2022 | 2,389 | #157 |
| 2021 | 2,410 | #160 |
| 2020 | 2,486 | #147 |
| 2019 | 2,755 | #137 |
| 2018 | 2,878 | #136 |
| 2017 | 3,145 | #128 |
| 2016 | 3,423 | #118 |
| 2015 | 3,422 | #117 |
| 2014 | 3,497 | #112 |
| 2013 | 3,520 | #111 |
| 2012 | 3,697 | #105 |
| 2011 | 3,956 | #96 |
| 2010 | 3,848 | #98 |
| 2009 | 3,958 | #104 |
| 2008 | 3,372 | #126 |
| 2007 | 2,882 | #141 |
| 2006 | 2,643 | #160 |
| 2005 | 2,494 | #165 |
| 2004 | 2,481 | #164 |
| 2003 | 2,460 | #162 |
| 2002 | 2,319 | #166 |
| 2001 | 2,404 | #159 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Max a popular boy name?
Max ranked #180 among boys in 2025 with 2,025 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #117.
When was the name Max most popular?
Max peaked in 2009, when 3,958 American boys received the name (ranked #104 that year). Since 2009 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Max?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 889 newborn American boys was named Max. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.