Maxim

Maxim and Maksim are both transcriptions of the Russian Максим which is equivalent to the Latin Maximus. Maximus originated as a Roman cognomen (nickname) in ancient times from the Latin word for “the greatest”. In ancient Rome’s naming structure, known as the tria nomina, the cognomen was the third name given to men and the last element of the full Roman name (it was preceded by the given name and clan name). Originally reserved for the aristocracy, the cognomen usually referred to a moral or physical attribute distinct to the family. Maximus is obviously one of the least modest of such nicknames. Quintus Fabius Maximus was an early bearer of the name in the 3rd century B.C. and came from a long line of early Roman Consuls (the highest elected political office of the Roman Republic). Q. Fabius Maximus was notable for his dictatorship during the Second Punic War against Carthage and their leader Hannibal. Having recently suffered a massive defeat, the senate elected Q. Fabius Maximus in a panic and willingly let him assume a dictatorship role. The military strategy employed by Fabius Maximus is known as “war of attrition” whereby the enemy is worn down over a prolonged period of time. He knew Hannibal’s army was superior so it was actually the smartest course of action. The only problem was that the ancient Romans expected heroic battles on a large scale and saw the “Fabian tactics” as cowardly. In any case, Maximus was a name adopted by the Russians thanks to the importance of a few early saints in the Eastern Orthodox Church (Russians have a long tradition of naming children off a pre-approved list of saints given to parents compliments of the Russian Orthodox Church). Maxim Gorky, born Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, was a notable Russian citizen and strong literary voice to emerge around the time of the Russian Revolution. Maxim (Максим) is currently a Top 10 most common baby boy's name in Russia and the Ukraine. It is also a top choice in Belgium, Belarus and Moldova.