Maize
Maize, also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. The leafy stalk of the plant gives rise to male inflorescences or tassels which produce pollen, and female inflorescences called ears. The ears yield grain, known as kernels or seeds. In modern commercial varieties, these are usually yellow or white; other varieties can be of many colors.
Meaning & Origin of Maize
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Maize, also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. The leafy stalk of the plant gives rise to male inflorescences or tassels which produce pollen, and female inflorescences called ears. The ears yield grain, known as kernels or seeds. In modern commercial varieties, these are usually yellow or white; other varieties can be of many colors.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Maize
As a girl name
Maize first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 2002, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 26 Maizes were born — ranking #5,025 that year. As of 2026, Maize ranks #6,913 for girls with 16 births, holding steady (+0%). In total, more than 211 Maizes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2000s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Maize first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2012, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 18 Maizes were born — ranking #5,222 that year. As of 2026, Maize ranks #5,522 for boys with 17 births, rising sharply (+57% over the past five years). In total, more than 123 Maizes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Maize
Phonetically similar names — useful when Maize is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Maize
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About the name Maize
Maize is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2002 and has accumulated 211 births in the dataset. Maize's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #5,025. Use the chart and map above to compare Maize's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
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- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.