Actor James Garner portrayed Bret Maverick in the television series Maverick. | |
Gender | Unisex |
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Origin | |
Meaning | Transferred use of British surname |
Maverick is both a surname and a given name that is a transferred use of the British surname. It has connotations of individuality and stubborn independence and has been popularized due to its use for movie characters such as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell from the 1986 movie Top Gun and its 2022 sequel Top Gun: Maverick, and television characters such as Bret Maverick from the 1957-1962 television series Maverick and sports teams.[1] [2] A maverick is a term used for an unbranded range animal that reportedly originated with rancher Samuel Maverick, who did not practice livestock branding.[3]
The name has been among the 1,000 most-used names for boys in the United States since 1994 and among the 50 most popular names for American boys since 2020. The name is also in use for girls in the United States, though it is in greater use for boys. There were 6,991 American boys named Maverick in 2022 compared with 98 American girls.[4] [5]
Notable people with the name include: