Maxim (given name)

Maxim (more accurately spelled Maksim assuming that "X" is not a consonant, but the conjunction of "K" and "S" sounds; "Maksym", or "Maxym") is an epicene (or gender-neutral) first name of Roman origin mainly given to males. It is adopted in Slavic-speaking countries such as Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Macedonia and Montenegro, as well as in countries which have maintained ties to the Soviet era. The name is derived from the Latin family name Maximus, meaning "the greatest".

It gave rise to a number of patronymic surnames: Maksymowicz, Maksimović, Maksymenko, Maximov. There is also a surname Maxim.

Notable people with the name include:

Musicians

Max Bemis, American musician and vocalist of Say Anything
Maxim Berezovsky, Ukrainian composer and opera singer
Maksim Dunayevsky, Russian film composer
Maxim Fadeev, Russian singer-songwriter, composer and producer
Maxim Galkin, Russian and Israeli comedian, television presenter and singer
Maksim Mrvica, Croatian pianist
Maxim (musician), English singer-songwriter and MC
Maxim (artist), German singer
Maxim Shostakovich, Russian and American conductor
Maxim Vengerov, Russian violin virtuoso and conductor

Politicians

Maksim Konomi (born 1946), Albanian politician
Maxim Litvinov, Russian revolutionary and diplomat
Maksym Stepanov (born 1975), Ukrainian politician

Sportspeople

Can Maxim Mutaf (born 1991), Turkish-Russian basketball player
Maxim Afinogenov, Russian ice hockey player
Maksim Burchenko, Russian footballer
Maksim Buznikin, Russian footballer
Maksim Chmerkovskiy, Ukrainian ballroom dancer
Maksim Devyatovskiy, Russian artistic gymnast
Maksim "Max" Grechkin, Israeli footballer
Maksym Kalynychenko, Ukrainian footballer
Maksym Kowal (born 1991), Canadian soccer player
Maxim Marinin, Russian pair skater
Maxim Mrva (born 2007), Czech tennis player
Maksym Murashkovskyi (born 2000), Ukrainian Paralympic Nordic skier
Maxim Naumov (born 2001), American figure skater
Maksim Podholjuzin (born 1992), Estonian footballer
Maksim Romaschenko, Belarusian footballer
Maxim Shabanov, Russian ice hockey player
Maksim Shatskikh, Uzbek footballer
Maxim Staviski, Russian-born Bulgarian world champion ice dancer
Maksim Vashkevich (born 1999), Belarusian para swimmer
Maksim Zhalmagambetov, Kazakh footballer

Other

Maksim Gelman, American murderer
Maxim Gorky, Russian writer
Maxim Kalashnikov, Russian writer and political activist
Maksim Moshkow, public figure of the Russian Internet segment
Maxim Sandovich (1888–1914), New Hieromartyr and Orthodox saint
Max Stirner, German philosopher

Fictional characters

Maxim Kammerer, character in the Noon Universe series
Maxim de Winter, the second Mrs. de Winter's name for her husband in Rebecca (novel) by Daphne du Maurier
Maxim, the main hero of Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals
Maxim Kischine, character from Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance