Baby names
Maximilian is a gladiator of a name with a powerful history behind it. Maximilian I reigned as the Holy Roman Emperor from 1493 to 1519, while the Vienna-born Ferdinand Maximilian Joseph ruled as emperor of Mexico from 1864 to 1867. And thanks to Maximus Decimus Meridius, the fictional hero played by Russell Crowe in the hit movie Gladiator, the name leapt in the rankings between 2000 and 2001, and has been on the upward climb since then. If the full name is too domineering for you, the nickname Max is a sweeter and friendlier version.
