Tom Cruise's New Movie Drives 'Maverick' Baby Name Popularity in Iowa

Parents in Iowa love the name "Maverick" for their sons, and mom Tiffany Fox believes that a Tom Cruise movie from over 30 years ago may have contributed to its popularity.

In "Top Gun," Cruise plays Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, a U.S. naval aviator known for his dangerous flying skills. This May, the movie's sequel, "Top Gun: Maverick," debuts in theaters around the world to rave reviews.

Speaking with Des Moines Register, the mom said that she and her husband, Michael Fox, decided on naming their son Maverick, who is now four years old, after they learned they were having a boy. The parents are huge fans of Cruise's movie that they dressed up as "Top Gun" characters for one Halloween during their dating years.

"I just think it's a really cool name period," Tiffany said. "If you look up the name, 'strong-willed, independent person' is the meaning," she added and said that the name's description aptly applies to her son.

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Maverick as a Boy's Name Ranks 47th in the U.S.

According to the Social Security Administration, Maverick is the 47th most popular name for boys in the U.S. for 2021. In Iowa, it was the 9th most popular baby name picked for boys in 2020.

Maverick used to be a popular English surname before parents started using this as their son's first name in the early 1990s. In American culture, the name symbolizes hotshots pilots like Cruise's character or cowboys in the Wild West.

While Maverick is mostly given to boys, it also stands out as a girl's name, which symbolizes a young woman's free spirit and a natural-born leader.

"I can't hear it and not think about Top Gun," one parent in a Name Nerds discussion on Reddit said. Another parent said this name was their first choice for a boy because it's "a good strong name" that their son could grow into.

However, some parents also think Maverick rolls on the mouth much better than a child's middle name. For some time, parents have made middle names optional since it's not legally necessary. However, a recent survey has shown that nine out of 10 modern parents have given their children a second name to honor either beloved family members or to distinguish their children from other kids with the same first name.

Parents also give middle names as a backup in case the child grows up with a dislike for their first name.

Positive Reviews for "Top Gun: Maverick"

Meanwhile, Common Sense Media cited that the sequel is 90 percent more appropriate for viewing with young children compared to the original film. It has 85 percent less sexy innuendos, and the message is mostly positive as well.

The movie's violent scene is also not bloody or cringe-inducing. Just like the first film, "Top Gun: Maverick" compounds on a moral code to "never leave your wingman." Cruise's Maverick was cocky in the first movie as a young pilot. In this sequel, he is more responsible and a lot less reckless than his younger character.

"Top Gun: Maverick" also stars Miles Teller as Bradley, the son of Maverick's former wingman, Goose. Val Kilmer also marks his comeback as Iceman, Maverick's rival. His daughter, Mercedes, said that working on the sequel means a lot to his father, who has been battling throat cancer for the last two years.

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