Maven is an uncommon yet distinctive given name of Germanic origin, derived from the Old French word 'mavin', which means "one who understands". It has been used as a surname for centuries but began to appear as a given name in the United States during the mid-20th century. Maven is often associated with the concept of expertise or knowledge, as it shares its root with the term 'maven' that describes an expert or connoisseur in a particular subject. It is pronounced /ˈmeɪvən/ and typically spelled without capitalization in the middle, unlike many other names.
The name Maven has seen a significant increase in popularity over the years, with a notable spike starting from 2011 onwards. Between 1998 and 2010, the number of babies named Maven remained relatively low, ranging between 5 to 8 births per year. However, beginning in 2011, the annual count of Maven births began to rise steadily: 15 in 2011, followed by 23 in 2012, and then a significant jump to 40 births in 2013. This upward trend continued throughout the late 2010s and early 2020s, with peaks of 91 babies named Maven in 2019, 103 in 2021, and a record high of 155 births in 2023. In total, over the course of these years, there were 1009 babies named Maven.