Maxine
Girl name · #496 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Maxine? In official American birth records, Maxine has been tracked continuously since 1884, giving it 141 years of documented American history.
Maxine is currently the #496 girl name in the United States — 597 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1106, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 3,015 girls born in 2025 was named Maxine.
The 141-year story
Maxine first appears in the Social Security records in 1884, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 3,659 girls were named Maxine — good for #77 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Maxine per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Maxine against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Maxine in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Maxine 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 Maxine is most common
Geography matters for names, and Maxine is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Maxine is most common in OR (1 per 1,000), WA (0.9 per 1,000), WI (0.8 per 1,000), IN (0.8 per 1,000), MA (0.7 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Maxine is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Maxine
Statistically, parents drawn to Maxine tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nellie, Louise, Beatrice, Ruthie, and Mae.
NellieLouiseBeatriceRuthieMaeLenoraElaineIrene
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Maxine | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 597 | #496 |
| 2024 | 595 | #518 |
| 2023 | 591 | #514 |
| 2022 | 483 | #615 |
| 2021 | 410 | #703 |
| 2020 | 370 | #739 |
| 2019 | 347 | #797 |
| 2018 | 319 | #850 |
| 2017 | 311 | #880 |
| 2016 | 309 | #901 |
| 2015 | 234 | #1106 |
| 2014 | 204 | #1195 |
| 2013 | 238 | #1042 |
| 2012 | 188 | #1273 |
| 2011 | 159 | #1427 |
| 2010 | 161 | #1420 |
| 2009 | 139 | #1612 |
| 2008 | 142 | #1597 |
| 2007 | 138 | #1613 |
| 2006 | 129 | #1639 |
| 2005 | 139 | #1500 |
| 2004 | 150 | #1387 |
| 2003 | 166 | #1257 |
| 2002 | 183 | #1135 |
| 2001 | 206 | #1040 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Maxine?
In official American birth records, the name Maxine first appeared in 1884 (over 141 years ago), when 8 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Maxine a popular girl name?
Maxine ranked #496 among girls in 2025 with 597 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #1106.
When was the name Maxine most popular?
Maxine peaked in 1924, when 3,659 American girls received the name (ranked #77 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Maxine?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 3,015 newborn American girls was named Maxine. 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.