The Baby Name Wizard

Reader Contributions

Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on the name Maxine!

Comments and insights on the name Maxine: | Edit

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Personal experiences with the name Maxine: | Edit

My name is Maxine. I must say this is typically how a conversation goes when I first meet someone.

-What's your name?
-Maxine
-Macie?
-Maxine
- Mac...mac what?
-Maxine!
-Oh. Cool name.

Other than no one really understanding it at first, it's a cool name to have. I hated it when I was a kid. But then when I got older I realized that I've only met 3 other Maxine's in my lifetime. Whenever I go out and hear someone call my name, I know they are probably talking to me, so I'm not one of twenty people who turns to look. However, you are victim to the nickname Maxi-pad. Unoriginal!

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My name is also Maxine. When I was younger my older sister called me Maxi-pad and it was extremely bothersome. However, I now quite enjoy my name. It is very original. My best friend's name is Hannah, and a lot of the time when we are in school someone will call out to a Hannah and she turns to look, but they are not calling to her. She is always complaining about how unoriginal her name is. I am grateful my name is nothing like that. But a lot of the time people try to call me Maxi, which is something I hate. I am always telling people how that is NOT my name.

Nicknames for Maxine: | Edit

Maxi, Maxie, Max, Mitzi

Meanings and history of the name Maxine: | Edit

Feminine short form of Max or Maximilian, meaning "great".

Famous real-life people named Maxine: | Edit

Maxine Waters, American politician
Maxine Nightingale, English R&B and soul music singer
Maxine Peake, English actress
Maxine Kumin, American poet and author
Maxine Hong Kingston, American writer and feminist
Maxine Sanders (born Arline Maxine Morris), co-founder of the Alexandrian Wicca faith
Maxine Greene, American educational philosopher and author
Maxine Kumin, American poet and author

Maxine in song, story & screen: | Edit

Maxine 'Max' Coleman, the 7 year old deaf-mute daughter of Kate and John Coleman in the 2009 horror film 'Orphan'
Maxine, comic character featured in a series of Hallmark greeting cards
Maxine Marion Louise Peacock (née Heavey), character on the British soap opera Coronation Street, played by Tracy Shaw
Maxine Barlow, character in the British TV series "Waterloo Road", played by Ellie Paskell