Maximus
Boy name · #276 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Maximus? In official American birth records, Maximus has been tracked continuously since 1997, giving it 28 years of documented American history.
Maximus ranks #276 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 1,249 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #197, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,441 boys born in 2025 was named Maximus.
Babies named Maximus per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 28-year story
Maximus first appears in the Social Security records in 1997, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2014, when 2,137 boys were named Maximus — good for #192 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 Maximus against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Maximus in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Maximus 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 Maximus is most common
Geography matters for names, and Maximus is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Maximus is most common in NV (2 per 1,000), OR (1.3 per 1,000), OK (1.2 per 1,000), AZ (1.2 per 1,000), CA (1.2 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.9 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Maximus is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Maximus
Statistically, parents drawn to Maximus tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Titus, Atticus, Maddox, Mathias, and Magnus.
TitusAtticusMaddoxMathiasMagnusTobiasKaidenMatthias
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Maximus | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,249 | #275 |
| 2024 | 1,045 | #331 |
| 2023 | 1,041 | #319 |
| 2022 | 1,274 | #270 |
| 2021 | 1,317 | #262 |
| 2020 | 1,407 | #250 |
| 2019 | 1,647 | #228 |
| 2018 | 1,820 | #212 |
| 2017 | 1,964 | #201 |
| 2016 | 2,129 | #187 |
| 2015 | 2,066 | #197 |
| 2014 | 2,137 | #192 |
| 2013 | 1,932 | #200 |
| 2012 | 1,844 | #206 |
| 2011 | 1,649 | #212 |
| 2010 | 1,489 | #234 |
| 2009 | 1,396 | #249 |
| 2008 | 1,355 | #258 |
| 2007 | 996 | #322 |
| 2006 | 795 | #375 |
| 2005 | 766 | #378 |
| 2004 | 614 | #424 |
| 2003 | 704 | #370 |
| 2002 | 912 | #313 |
| 2001 | 892 | #311 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Maximus?
In official American birth records, the name Maximus first appeared in 1997 (over 28 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 28 years.
Is Maximus a popular boy name?
Maximus ranked #276 among boys in 2025 with 1,249 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #197.
When was the name Maximus most popular?
Maximus peaked in 2014, when 2,137 American boys received the name (ranked #192 that year). Since 2014 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Maximus?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,441 newborn American boys was named Maximus. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.