Given name & surname · also Germanic
Maynard
“one who is brave and strong”
Maynard is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “one who is brave and strong.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “one who is brave and strong.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Germanic.
How it developed
It entered given-name use through an existing surname.
The story
Its naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name.
Maynard through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 14,940
- 14,918 boys · 22 girls
- Most popular year
- 1922
- 398 babies
- 2025
- 7
- #10,325 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −22%
- Easing
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 10,325 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 21.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 398 in 1922. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 5,005 as a first name in 2020; 34,753 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Maynard’s family of names
Maynard shares a linguistic root with Mein(h)ard. Maynard has a related form in Maynor. Maynard has a related form in Mainor.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 13
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Maynorvariant
- Mainorvariant
- Maynerdvariant
- Maenarvariant
- Mainarvariant
- Maenorvariant
- Maynarvariant
- Maenardvariant
Show 5 moreShow fewer
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Maynard
- Maynard SolomonAmerican music executive and musicologist; co-founder of Vanguard Records, music producer, and writer on music (1930-2020)
- Maynard DixonAmerican painter (1875-1946)
- Maynard OlsonAmerican scientistborn 1943
- Maynard JacksonAmerican politician and attorney (1938–2003)
- Maynard Eziashiactorborn 1965
- Maynard M. MetcalfAmerican zoologist1868–1940
- Maynard Harrison SmithAir Force Medal of Honor recipient1911–1984
- Maynard Owen WilliamsAmerican journalist (1888-1963)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Maynard, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Richmond
“from the wealthy hill” · “a powerful protector”
>99% boys
Sigmund
“the victorious protector”
>99% boys
Wilbert
“one who is willful; a bright man”
>99% boys
Elbert
“a wellborn man” · “a bright man”
>99% boys
Leonard
“having the strength of a lion”
>99% boys
Willard
“a resolute and brave man”
>99% boys
Bertram
“the renowned bright raven”
>99% boys
Lambert
“the light of the land”
>99% boys