Maxwell is an English name of Old Norman origin, derived from the given name Maxwell, which was introduced to Britain by followers of William the Conqueror after the Norman invasion of 1066. The name Maxwell is composed of two elements: 'magnus', meaning 'great', and 'wulf', meaning 'wolf'. Therefore, it translates literally as 'great wolf'. This name was initially used as a nickname for someone who had the strength or ferocity of a wolf, or perhaps because they were large in stature. Over time, Maxwell evolved from being a nickname to becoming a hereditary surname and eventually a given name in its own right.
The name Maxwell appears to have experienced a resurgence in popularity over the past two decades, with more births recorded in the years 2006, 2017, and 2019 than in any of the earlier years listed.