Names › Boys' names › M › Maxwell
Maxwell
Meaning: Mack's stream · Origin: Scottish · Gender: usually a boy's name
Origin & history
From a Scottish surname meaning 'Mack's stream' — Mack (a short form of Magnus) + Old English wille, 'well, stream'. Its rise since the 1980s owes much to its use as a full form of Max.
Famous people named Maxwell
- James Clerk Maxwell (physicist)
Nicknames
Max
Variants & related names
Maxwell name art
A free preview of a printable “Maxwell” poster with its meaning — great for a nursery, a birthday or a gift.
Instant download, no subscription. Not printed or shipped — you get a high-resolution PNG to print at home or at a print shop.
FAQ
What does the name Maxwell mean?
Maxwell means “Mack's stream”. It comes from Scottish.
Is Maxwell a popular name?
Yes — Maxwell has been one of the most popular boys' names in the United States in the 2020s, according to US Social Security Administration baby-name data.
What are nicknames for Maxwell?
Max.
What are other forms of Maxwell?
Max.
Similar names
Logan · Cameron · Ian · Carson · Callum · Knox
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Sources: standard name etymology references (e.g. Behind the Name, Oxford Dictionary of First Names); popularity from US SSA and UK ONS baby-name data. Meanings of old names are often debated — where scholars disagree we say so.