Max (English)
Where does "Max" come from?
The name Max originated in German as a popular diminutive of Maximilian. It was later borrowed into English during the 19th century, where it evolved into a versatile nickname for both masculine names like Maxwell and feminine names like Maxine.
Full etymology tree
- Max (English), 'A male given name from Latin.'
- borrowed Max (German), 'an a popular diminutive of the male given name Maximilian'
- derived Maximilian (Latin)
- influence Maxwell (English), 'A Scottish habitational surname from Mackeswell near Melrose.'
- derived Mackeswell (Middle English)
- compound Mack (Middle English)
- compound welle (Old English), 'dative singular of well'
- derived Mackeswell (Middle English)
- borrowed Max (German), 'an a popular diminutive of the male given name Maximilian'
Direct ancestors
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris