Boy name · Old English
Maxwell
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: from a Scottish surname meaning Mack's streamMaxwell is a boy's name that comes from an Old English surname meaning "Mack's stream". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- From a Scottish surname meaning Mack's stream
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #189 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Maxwell
As a boy's name, Maxwell comes from an Old English surname meaning "Mack's stream". It is used in English.
Maxwell is also a surname: the 497th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 65,829 people. See the most common last names.
Its meaning puts Maxwell on our names that mean water or sea list.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Maxwell on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Maxwell on 3 lists.
“James Clerk unified electricity and magnetism in four equations”
From Nicknames for electricians, nerdy nicknames from electrical science
“From Maccus's pool on the River Tweed”
From Pretty last names, pretty Irish, Scottish and Welsh surnames
“Maccus's pool on the Tweed, a salmon fishery”
From Scottish last names, lowland and Border family names
How popular is Maxwell?
- US rank in 2025
- #189
- 1,924 babies, 1,126 per million boys
- Best rank
- #106 in 1999
- Most babies: 3,739 in 2014
- Babies since 1880
- At least 108,732
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 66 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 115 per million |
| 1900s | 169 per million |
| 1910s | 181 per million |
| 1920s | 105 per million |
| 1930s | 70 per million |
| 1940s | 43 per million |
| 1950s | 36 per million |
| 1960s | 33 per million |
| 1970s | 59 per million |
| 1980s | 315 per million |
| 1990s | 1,073 per million |
| 2000s | 1,505 per million |
| 2010s | 1,726 per million |
| 2020s | 1,256 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #111 | #133 | #134 | #147 | #146 | #162 | #173 | #182 | #182 | #189 |
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.
Nicknames for Maxwell
Established short forms and pet names, not made-up ones.
- Maxcommon English nickname
Names with a similar meaning
- MiriamForm of Mary, meaning uncertain; perhaps Egyptian beloved (Hebrew, girl)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- AlanMeaning uncertain; perhaps little rock, or from the Alans (Brythonic, boy)
- AthenaMeaning unknown; the Greek goddess of wisdom (Greek, girl)
- DeclanMeaning unknown, though likely begins with Old Irish dag, good (Irish Gaelic, boy)
- EvelynFrom a surname derived from the given name Aveline (English, girl)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- JacksonFrom a surname meaning son of Jack (English, boy)
- KennedyFrom an Irish surname, from Cennétig, armoured or misshapen head (Irish Gaelic, girl)
- LesleyFrom a Scottish place name (Scottish place name, girl)
Middle names for Maxwell
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
- AltonTown at a river's source (Old English, boy)
- DeanFrom a surname meaning valley (Old English, boy)
- EltonElla's town (Old English, boy)
- FordRiver crossing (Old English, boy)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- ReidRed-haired (Old English, boy)
- RhysArdor, enthusiasm (Welsh, boy)
- ShaneGod is gracious (Hebrew, boy)
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
- LindsayLincoln island (Old English, unisex)
- OsmundGod protector (Old English, boy)
Maxwell: common questions
What does the name Maxwell mean?
Maxwell comes from an Old English surname meaning "Mack's stream". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Maxwell a boy or girl name?
Maxwell is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 15 girls and 1,924 boys in the US were named Maxwell, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are nicknames for Maxwell?
Common nicknames for Maxwell include Max.
How popular is the name Maxwell?
Maxwell ranked #189 in the US in 2025, with 1,924 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Maxwell?
Middle names that flow well with Maxwell include Alton, Dean, Elton, Ford and Knox. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.