Name popularity drops sharply

In France, the name Maximilien, once widely used, is now given to only a few babies each year. It had over 400 births in 1989 but only around 80 in 2025, according to data from the "Complete First Names File" of Insee, France's national statistics office.

Historical usage and decline

Since 1900, the name Maximilien has been given to 12,325 boys in France. It reached its peak in 1989 with approximately 405 births, after which its popularity steadily declined. By 2025, it ranks around the top 600 names, with about 10,000 people currently bearing the name.

Name diversity in France

Insee attributes the decline of Maximilien to the growing diversity of names in France. In 1946, the name Jean was given to 53,380 boys, or 12% of all male births that year. In contrast, in 2025, no single name dominates the list to that extent, reflecting a broader range of naming choices.

Rounding and data discrepancies

Insee notes that current birth numbers for names are often rounded to the nearest multiple of 5, which can lead to slight differences in reported figures. For example, 1989 is listed as having either 405 or 407 births for the name Maximilien, depending on the source.