Max-imum Casting Call
How many boys out there are named "Max" because of Maurice Sendak's illustrated children's book WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE?
Now the producers of the movie version are holding nationwide casting calls in search of a boy aged 7-11 years old to play the movie Max. The message boards at IMDB are abuzz with discussions of long lines and who was and was not called back.
To aspiring monster-pals (and stage parents), all I can say is: if you've missed a casting call in your city, might as beat the queues, do some Googling to find out the name of the casting director (it's out there) and make a homemade DV or VHS of your best Max-impression, and send it off. It couldn't hurt.
For a history of the name "Max" and its variations, visit Baby Name Voyager (it requires Java and works well with IE and Firefox).
Max had popular in the 1920s/1930s (lots of Grandpa and Uncle Max's from the Old World), but there there was a definite uptic in the 1970s - after the publication of Sendak's book. GLADIATOR must be the reason for the appearance of the name Maximus among human and pit bull young. That and some paternal inadequacy, maybe.