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Mac

Meaning, origin and pronunciation, with published usage by place and year.

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Meaning

Greatest, through the Max–Maximilian naming tradition.

One documented chain is Mac as a Max diminutive, with Max used for Maximilian. The German Maximilian entry traces Latin Maximilianus to Maximus, the greatest, and separately records a later royal combination story. Max can also represent Maxwell, and Mac can be a surname-based nickname. Those distinct routes are not assigned this meaning; the licensed son of gloss is not applied to every Mac.

Origin

Max diminutive, with separate surname-based nickname uses

The entry explicitly records a Max short form and, separately, nicknames for people with Mac- or Mc- surnames. Computer-brand and other lexical senses are not given-name origins.

English pronunciation

/mæk/

Recorded English reading; the given-name short form is distinct from computer and surname-only senses.

Recorded English reading, as published. Accents and preferred pronunciations can differ.

Published name usage

Counts apply only to the exact spelling, place, year and recorded usage shown. Places are separate; these figures are never added into a worldwide total. Missing or suppressed records never mean zero.

Latest published record available for this spelling in each place and recorded usage
PlaceYearRecorded usagePublished birthsRankNotes
Canada2025Boys27 · preliminary9432025 figures are preliminary. Quebec counts below five are randomly imputed by the publisher before national aggregation. Accents are removed in the source; this profile was matched only where the catalog spelling was unambiguous. Unpublished values are unknown, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
France2022Boys5 (rounded to 5)7260Counts are rounded to the nearest multiple of five. Ranks use unrounded publisher counts with randomly ordered ties; equally rounded counts can have different ranks. National coverage excludes Mayotte before 2012. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Automated direction labels are withheld for this rounded-count series. Rank basis: source published.
England & Wales2025Boys42782Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Northern Ireland2025Boys3395Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Scotland2025Boys19219Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: source published.
Ireland2024Boys6520Names below three occurrences are unpublished. Accent recording changed in 2018; comparisons across that boundary may not describe the same spelling coverage. Counts refer to registrations in the year. Missing years are unavailable, not zero. Rank basis: source published.
United States2025Girls514942Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.
United States2025Boys390695Source-reported counts; unpublished names are not zero. Rank basis: calculated from published counts.

Canada, Ireland and France coverage includes confidently matched existing profiles only; unmatched spellings are awaiting review. French counts are rounded to five.

Sources & notes

Open an entry for its source, credit, licence and full qualifications. Different name traditions remain separate.

Language of use: English

Checked against cited source

The exact English entry explicitly records given-name or personal short-name use. A short form does not determine any bearer’s full name; statistics remain separate.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.

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This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

CC BY-SA 4.0

Meaning: Greatest, through the Max–Maximilian naming tradition.

Checked against cited source

One documented chain is Mac as a Max diminutive, with Max used for Maximilian. The German Maximilian entry traces Latin Maximilianus to Maximus, the greatest, and separately records a later royal combination story. Max can also represent Maxwell, and Mac can be a surname-based nickname. Those distinct routes are not assigned this meaning; the licensed son of gloss is not applied to every Mac.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.

View original source

This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

CC BY-SA 4.0

Short form of: Max

Checked against cited source

Relationship explicitly documented in the reviewed English given-name section. Spelling-specific counts remain separate.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.

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This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

CC BY-SA 4.0

Origin: Max diminutive, with separate surname-based nickname uses

Checked against cited source

The entry explicitly records a Max short form and, separately, nicknames for people with Mac- or Mc- surnames. Computer-brand and other lexical senses are not given-name origins.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.

View original source

This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

CC BY-SA 4.0

English pronunciation: /mæk/

Checked against cited source

Recorded English reading; the given-name short form is distinct from computer and surname-only senses.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.

View original source

This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

CC BY-SA 4.0

Supporting evidence: Maximilian · Latin Maximus ancestry

Checked against cited source

Supporting source for the qualified longer-name interpretation. Credit: Wiktionary contributors; wording adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.

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This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

CC BY-SA 4.0

Supporting evidence: Max · Maximilian and Maxwell short forms

Checked against cited source

Supporting source for the qualified longer-name interpretation. Credit: Wiktionary contributors; wording adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Credit: Wiktionary contributors. Adapted by Rare Baby Names: wording shortened and name contexts separated. Recorded pronunciations are shown as published.

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This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

CC BY-SA 4.0

country_CA

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country_FR

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country_IE

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Source: NISRA : Website: www.nisra.gov.uk

Attribution: Source: NISRA : Website: www.nisra.gov.uk

License: Open Government Licence v3.0

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(C) Crown copyright. Data supplied by National Records of Scotland.

Attribution: (C) Crown copyright. Data supplied by National Records of Scotland.

License: Open Government Licence v3.0

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Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence

Attribution: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence

License: Open Government Licence v3.0

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U.S. Social Security Administration

Attribution: U.S. Social Security Administration

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Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.

Credit: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0147-01, 1991–2025, released 23 September 2026.

License: Statistics Canada Open Licence

Adaptation: Adapted from Statistics Canada, First names at birth by sex at birth, selected indicators, Table 17-10-0147-01, reference years 1991–2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.

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Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.

Credit: Central Statistics Office, Ireland, VSA50 and VSA60, updated 27 February 2026.

License: CC BY 4.0

Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: joined the published count and rank indicators and matched unambiguous existing spellings. Source values retained.

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Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.

Credit: Source : Insee, Fichier des prénoms, updated 16 July 2026.

License: Open Licence 2.0 (Etalab)

Adaptation: Adapted by Rare Baby Names: column names and sex codes mapped and unique case-only spellings matched to existing profiles. Published rounded counts and ranks retained.

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