What does Maxime mean?
Maxime comes from the Latin maximus, “greatest.”
What does Basile mean?
Basile is the French form of Basil, “royal” or “kingly.”
Maxime vs Basile
Which is more popular?
Maxime is more popular than Basile today: about 21 US babies were given the name Maxime in 2025, compared with 6 named Basile.
| Maxime | Basile | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Greatest | Royal, kingly |
| Origin | French | French |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | mak-SEEM | bah-ZEEL |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1920 | 1916 |
| Peak year | 2001 (40) | 2018 (7) |
| In 2025 | 21 | 6 |
| Trend | Steady | Near its peak |
Popularity over time, 1880–2025
Maxime
Basile
Source: US Social Security Administration.
Births by decade
| Decade | Maxime | Basile |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 152 | 11 |
| 2010s | 331 | 18 |
| 2000s | 318 | 6 |
| 1990s | 185 | 5 |
| 1980s | 80 | 0 |
| 1970s | 22 | 0 |
| 1920s | 10 | 0 |
| 1910s | 0 | 5 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Maxime or Basile more popular?
Maxime is more popular than Basile today: about 21 US babies were given the name Maxime in 2025, compared with 6 named Basile.
What is the difference between Maxime and Basile?
Maxime means Greatest (French origin), while Basile means Royal, kingly (French origin).
Which name is older, Maxime or Basile?
In US records, Maxime first appears in 1920 and Basile in 1916, so Basile has the longer recorded history.