Could Maxwell become a girl name?
As of right now, it’s used almost exclusively for baby boys:
- 2010: 2,985 baby boys and 5 baby girls named Maxwell
- 2009: 3,068 baby boys (and <5 baby girls) named Maxwell
- 2008: 3,050 baby boys and 5 baby girls named Maxwell
- 2007: 2,711 baby boys and 6 baby girls named Maxwell
- 2006: 2,789 baby boys and 5 baby girls named Maxwell
- 2005: 2,809 baby boys (and <5 baby girls) named Maxwell
But I think that could change.
Several months ago, a minor celebrity named her daughter Maxwell Lue.
And rumor has it that singer Jessica Simpson is also considering Maxwell (nickname Maxi) for her baby girl due in a couple of weeks.
(In fact, the rumor has gotten so much press that I think the rumor itself could influence expectant parents — regardless of what Simpson actually names her baby.)
Do you think celebrities naming their baby girls Maxwell will inspire enough non-celeb parents to follow suit that Maxwell becomes dual-gender (à la Rory, Elliot, Charlie, Avery & Peyton)?
Do you like Maxwell as a girl name, or do you prefer it on boys only?
P.S. Maxwell was originally a habitational surname. It was first recorded in 12th century Scotland as Mackeswell, meaning “Mack’s spring” or “Mack’s stream.” Mack was a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, which comes from the Latin word for “great.”