What does Felix mean?
The Latin word felix, “happy” or “lucky.”
What does Max mean?
A short form of Maximilian or Maximus, from the Latin maximus, “greatest.”
Felix vs Max
Which is more popular?
Felix is more popular than Max today: about 2,064 US babies were given the name Felix in 2025, compared with 2,025 named Max.
| Felix | Max | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Happy, fortunate | Greatest |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | FEE-liks | MAKS |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2024 (2,090) | 2009 (3,958) |
| In 2025 | 2,064 | 2,025 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Felix
Max
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Felix | Max |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 11,654 | 13,641 |
| 2010s | 13,335 | 34,141 |
| 2000s | 7,580 | 27,368 |
| 1990s | 6,294 | 18,216 |
| 1980s | 5,306 | 8,741 |
| 1970s | 5,515 | 4,231 |
| 1960s | 5,749 | 5,023 |
| 1950s | 5,759 | 7,430 |
| 1940s | 4,315 | 8,526 |
| 1930s | 4,199 | 11,757 |
| 1920s | 6,000 | 14,081 |
| 1910s | 4,928 | 10,859 |
| 1900s | 1,108 | 1,567 |
| 1890s | 903 | 1,112 |
| 1880s | 863 | 765 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Felix or Max more popular?
Felix is more popular than Max today: about 2,064 US babies were given the name Felix in 2025, compared with 2,025 named Max.
What is the difference between Felix and Max?
Felix means Happy, fortunate (Latin origin), while Max means Greatest (Latin origin).
Which name is older, Felix or Max?
In US records, Felix first appears in 1880 and Max in 1880, so Felix has the longer recorded history.