Does the major version number (4.x vs 5.x) mean anything?

No. The major version number is incremented when the number after the dot starts looking "too big." There is literally no other reason.

https://www.kernel.org/category/releases.html

[–] kilgore_trout@feddit.it 19 points 17 hours ago

And «too big» for Linus is around 20.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 14 points 17 hours ago

See that's totally logical, but it makes more human sense than computer sense.

[–] Midnitte@beehaw.org 16 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

It's logical if Linus has some numbers autism

[–] CanadaPlus 10 points 13 hours ago

Hmm, guy who wrote his own kernel because he didn't like the ones that existed. I'm sure he's totally neurotypical. /s

[–] sip@programming.dev 4 points 14 hours ago

idk for me it's easier to rember ex xdna was merged on 6.14 than 2.253