Max (given name)

Max (/ˈmæks/) is a masculine given name. It is often short (hypocorism) for Maximilian, Maxim, sometimes Maximus, Maxwell in English, Maximos (Μάξιμος) in Greek or Maxime and Maxence in French.[1] As feminine form it is often short for Maxine. Almost all Max names have derived from the Latin Maximus, the name Maximus has been in circulation since the Classical Era, commonly used in Ancient Rome as a cognomen, the third name in the Old Roman three-part naming system known as the Tria Nomina; the cognomen began as a nickname and would have been given to men of the patrician class who demonstrated traits of greatness; the name was introduced to the Celtic Britons during the Roman occupation of England in the 1st century. Maximus also became a saint’s name (Saint Maximos the Greek, a seventh-century monk and theologian from Constantinople). Μost of the Max names (except for Maximilian) celebrate their name day on 21 January of every year according to the Greek Orthodox Church. The name Max has had a constant presence on the U.S. name popularity charts since the government began tracking naming trends in 1880.