Boy name · Latin
Maximus
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: greatestMaximus is a boy's name that comes from Latin and means "greatest". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Greatest
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #276 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Maximus
As a boy's name, Maximus comes from Latin and means "greatest". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Maximus on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Maximus on 4 lists.
“Latin for greatest; a big name for a big cat”
From Boy cat names, strong male cat names
“Latin for greatest, the grand version of a classic”
From Boy dog names, strong male dog names
“Greatest; Latin. Cognomen of Fabius, Hannibal's foe”
From Roman names, roman cognomina (nicknames that stuck)
“Greatest; Latin, an old Roman surname”
From Strong boy names, powerful boy names for kings and leaders
How popular is Maximus?
- US rank in 2025
- #276
- 1,249 babies, 731 per million boys
- Best rank
- #187 in 2016
- Most babies: 2,137 in 2014
- Babies since 1997
- At least 34,662
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 0 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 0 per million |
| 1900s | 0 per million |
| 1910s | 0 per million |
| 1920s | 0 per million |
| 1930s | 0 per million |
| 1940s | 0 per million |
| 1950s | 0 per million |
| 1960s | 0 per million |
| 1970s | 0 per million |
| 1980s | 0 per million |
| 1990s | 2 per million |
| 2000s | 432 per million |
| 2010s | 993 per million |
| 2020s | 708 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #187 | #201 | #212 | #228 | #251 | #262 | #270 | #319 | #331 | #276 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Maximus
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- MaksymilianGreatest (Latin, boy)
- MassimilianoGreatest (Latin, boy)
- MaxenceGreatest (Latin, boy)
- MaximeThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- MaximilianoGreatest (Latin, boy)
- MáximoGreatest (Latin, boy)
Names spelled like Maximus
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- MarinusOf the sea (Latin, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- MaxThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- MaximilianThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- MaxineThe greatest (Latin, girl)
- MacsenThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- MaksimThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- MassimoThe greatest (Latin, boy)
- RupinderGreatest beauty (Punjabi, unisex)
Middle names for Maximus
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Latin
- LeoA lion (Latin, boy)
- AdrianFrom Hadria (Latin, boy)
- FelixLucky, happy (Latin, boy)
- MartinDedicated to Mars (Latin, boy)
- OliverOlive tree (Latin, boy)
- AugustExalted, venerable (Latin, boy)
- MagnusThe great (Latin, boy)
- MarcoOf Mars (Latin, boy)
- MarcusOf Mars (Latin, boy)
- PatrickNobleman, patrician (Latin, boy)
Maximus: common questions
What does the name Maximus mean?
Maximus comes from Latin and means "greatest".
Is Maximus a boy or girl name?
Maximus is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Maximus come from?
Maximus comes from Latin and means "greatest". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Maximus?
Maximus ranked #276 in the US in 2025, with 1,249 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Maximus?
Forms of Maximus with the same meaning and origin include Maksymilian (Polish), Massimiliano (Italian), Maxence (French), Maxime (French) and Maximiliano (Spanish).
What middle names go with Maximus?
Middle names that flow well with Maximus include Dean, Ezra, Hugh, Levi and Luke. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.