Maxim
Boy name · #1522 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Maxim? In official American birth records, Maxim has been tracked continuously since 1923, giving it 102 years of documented American history.
Maxim ranks #1522 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 114 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #780, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 15,789 boys born in 2025 was named Maxim.
Babies named Maxim per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 102-year story
Maxim first appears in the Social Security records in 1923, when 8 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2012, when 346 boys were named Maxim — good for #683 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 Maxim against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Maxim in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Maxim is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Maxim will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Maxim is most common
Geography matters for names, and Maxim is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Maxim is most common in NY (0.1 per 1,000), FL (0.1 per 1,000), CA (0.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.1 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Maxim is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Nicknames & related forms of Maxim
Maxim 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 #1522 for Maxim alone.
Names like Maxim
Statistically, parents drawn to Maxim tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Maksim, Makhi, Mikah, Mayson, and Maxx.
MaksimMakhiMikahMaysonMaxxHashimMarleyMarek
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Maxim | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 114 | #1520 |
| 2024 | 125 | #1448 |
| 2023 | 142 | #1337 |
| 2022 | 174 | #1171 |
| 2021 | 197 | #1076 |
| 2020 | 177 | #1111 |
| 2019 | 216 | #984 |
| 2018 | 240 | #902 |
| 2017 | 249 | #871 |
| 2016 | 265 | #847 |
| 2015 | 301 | #780 |
| 2014 | 335 | #720 |
| 2013 | 319 | #731 |
| 2012 | 346 | #683 |
| 2011 | 313 | #726 |
| 2010 | 314 | #729 |
| 2009 | 319 | #731 |
| 2008 | 334 | #703 |
| 2007 | 273 | #789 |
| 2006 | 236 | #851 |
| 2005 | 177 | #980 |
| 2004 | 194 | #895 |
| 2003 | 204 | #849 |
| 2002 | 168 | #954 |
| 2001 | 167 | #926 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Maxim?
In official American birth records, the name Maxim first appeared in 1923 (over 102 years ago), when 8 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 102 years.
Is Maxim a popular boy name?
Maxim ranked #1522 among boys in 2025 with 114 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #780.
When was the name Maxim most popular?
Maxim peaked in 2012, when 346 American boys received the name (ranked #683 that year). Since 2012 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Maxim?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 15,789 newborn American boys was named Maxim. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.