Fun Facts About the Name Maximilien
- 371 babies named Maximilien: U.S. records list 371 babies given the name Maximilien from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Maximilien Mean?
Maximilien is the French form of the Latin name Maximilianus, traditionally understood to mean "greatest." Maximilianus is a Roman cognomen built from two elements. The first is Maximus, the Latin superlative of magnus ("great"), so "greatest." The second is Aemilianus, meaning "of the Aemilii," one of the old Roman clans; the clan name Aemilius is traditionally connected with Latin aemulus, "rival" or "one who emulates." So the name is a joining of two Roman names rather than a single descriptive phrase, and the common one-word translation "greatest" comes from the first element alone.
Maximilien Name History & Origins
Maximilianus is recorded in antiquity as a Roman cognomen. It entered Christian tradition through Saint Maximilian of Tebessa, a young North African put to death in 295 for refusing military service, an account preserved in early church records. The name stayed occasional through the early Middle Ages and then appeared among the Habsburgs: Maximilian I (1459 - 1519) was Holy Roman Emperor from 1493, and rulers in Austria, Bavaria, and later Mexico also bore the name.
The French form Maximilien follows the usual French handling of Latin -ianus. Its best-known French bearers include Maximilien de Béthune, Duke of Sully (1559 - 1641), finance minister to Henry IV, and Maximilien de Robespierre (1758 - 1794), a leading figure of the French Revolution. The same Latin source lies behind the German and English Maximilian and the Italian Massimiliano.
How Popular is the Name Maximilien?
Maximilien has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1998. Its best rank was #4,328 in 1998.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,420 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #10,399 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #7,093 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2021 | #6,221 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #8,494 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #7,998 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #6,221 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #8,592 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #5,953 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2015 | #6,192 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #6,511 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2013 | #6,493 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #5,888 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2011 | #6,142 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #7,408 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #8,758 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2008 | #5,678 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2007 | #6,931 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #8,504 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2005 | #5,477 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2004 | #12,564 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #7,628 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #6,377 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #6,775 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #5,787 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1999 | #6,339 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #4,328 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #7,831 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #8,622 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #8,505 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #6,771 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #8,319 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #7,151 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #5,785 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1990 | #9,030 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1987 | #7,731 | 5 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Maximilien Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Maximilien's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Maximilien's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.