So I don't have any experience in the world of the dodecahedron "minx" puzzles, but I have ordered a Megaminx to start off with. Reading some topics lately I have realized this: the Kilominx is similar to a 2 layer version a Megaminx (a 2x2x2 Rubik's cube to a 3x3x3 Rubik's cube), the Megaminx is the 3 layer version, the Master Kilominx is the 4-layer version, the Gigaminx is the 5 layer, the Teraminx is 7 layers, and the Petaminx is 9 layers. Is that really how it goes?

Yes.
And the Elite Kilominx is the 6x6.

-Doug

An added question: Where does the word "minx" come from and why was it initially chosen? I believe the pyraminx was the first puzzle to have "minx" in the name, correct?

Uwe Meffert was the first to use it. He was very much into the "magic" of the pyramids and the Egyptians. I assume a combination of Sphinx and Pyramid lead to Pyraminx which we have later taken minx from. In his 1982 Catalogue he pretty much used the word Pyraminx for every puzzle- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibfAi5pamE0 . For example what we know now as Megaminx was originally called Pyraminx Magic Dodecahedron.

Ooh! My turn! A while back, Zhewei posted a Reuleaux Minx, and some of the pictures show the raw sanding-down. I asked him about it, and he said that it was a QJ minx that gave him that amount of solid plastic to work with, leaving only a bit of filling to do. For those who have both a QJ minx and a Meffert's minx, do you think that a Meffert's minx has a similar amount of plastic?

This seems a bit off topic (more building than naming and history which was the original topic) but here is a quick reply: If the QJ minx you speak of is what I have heard called the "PVC Minx" (and from that thread it looks to be) then you can find information on it in my Megaminx puzzle and mechanism comparison thread. The Mefferts is actually completely solid without the small holes in the edge pieces that you see in his pictures.

Dave

yes , you are right.

In fact many brands have the same layer cubes.