Namewise

Allen vs Maxwell

Allen and Maxwellcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.

Head to head

Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 1958, Allen was ranked #92 and Maxwell #90 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Allen was ranked #4270 and Maxwell #184 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2010, Allen was ranked #720 and Maxwell #301 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

Allen and Maxwell over time

Allen and Maxwell appear together in 2 published lists, across 41 years of shared records. Maxwell held the stronger position in more years in 2 of them, Allen in 0.

The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.

Allen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Maxwell in none. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.

Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Allen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Maxwell in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Allen #1079 in 2007, Maxwell #114 in 2013.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Allen #4270, Maxwell #184.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 19752010

    Allen held the stronger position in 4 of those years, Maxwell in 7.

    Highest recorded here: Allen #141 in 1975, Maxwell #266 in 2003.

    The order changed in 2009: Maxwell moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #601 and #698; by 2009 that had become #701 and #532.

    Most recent shared year, 2010: Allen #720, Maxwell #301.

Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Allen, Maxwell
FieldAllenMaxwell
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Official statistical record (evidence-only)
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
OriginNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
PronunciationNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ
Most recent popularity observationEngland and Wales · Boys #4270 (2024)Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recordedNot yet recorded
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)94/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Allen and Maxwell both have 2 syllables.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Allen

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–1960

    Highest recorded position: #76 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1953 (recorded 1952–1960).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2024

    Most recently recorded at #4270 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.

    England and Wales · Boys

Maxwell

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1952

    First recorded at #71 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1952–2021

    Highest recorded position: #71 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2021).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys