Mac Names

Originally inspired as by eighties TV actress Mackenzie Phillips, parents since have flocked to Mackenzie for their daughters. Now a staple All-American choice, Mackenzie has ranked in the US Top 1000 for nearly 50 years.

Mackenzie originates from the Scottish surname which itself an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich. Coinnich is one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth meaning "handsome, beautiful, comely".

One of many Irish and Scottish surnames starting with Mac and Mc that also feel usable as given names, McCoy has a jaunty and energetic sound. The name entered the US Top 1000 in 2020, and was given to around 220 boys in the US in a recent year, along with 6 girls.

This lively Scottish surname is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich, Coinnich being one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth.

Mackenzie begat McKenna - a catchy but very trendy choice. While the Mc or Mac prefix means "son of," this is much more popular as a girl name in the US, peaking at #177 in 2002.

Made famous by former child star Macaulay Culkin, one of the more popular Mac names.

Presidential name that makes a fresh substitute for MacKenzie or McKenna. Possible spelling variations include MacKinley, MacKinlee, Makinleigh ad almost infinitum. McKinley is one of the Scottish names for girls that can work equally well for boys.

Used quietly on boys in the US since the early 20th century, Mckenzie was abruptly overtaken by the Mackenzie spelling back in 1973 when actress Mackenzie Phillips introduced the name as a possibility for girls. While Mckenzie has never matched its sibling spelling in popularity, it nevertheless climbed the charts in its wake, peaking in 2000 at #133.

Macallan is a distinctive masculine name with Scottish origins, most famously associated with the renowned single malt whisky distillery in the Speyside region of Scotland. The name derives from the Gaelic 'Magh' meaning 'plain' and 'Ellan' referring to St. Fillan, literally translating to 'plain of St. Fillan.' As a given name, Macallan represents a modern trend of adopting surname or brand names for children, appealing to parents seeking names with cultural significance and strong phonetic presence. Though relatively uncommon, Macallan offers appealing nickname options like Mac or Cal. The name carries connotations of refinement and craftsmanship due to its whisky association, while its Scottish heritage provides a sense of tradition and place. Its rising usage reflects parents' interest in distinctive names with cultural cachet.

Although Maguire is such a prominent Irish surname —it ranks in the Top 40 in the Emerald Isle —this lively and cheerful family name has rarely been used as a first, unlike more familiar examples like Ryan, Riley and Reagan. The powerful and distinguished Maguire clan was known for their courage, leadership and resilience. The name's many notable associations include the unionizing Pennsylvania coal miners known as the Molly Maguires, actor Tobey Maguire and Dixie Chick Martie Maguire. Other spellings are McGuire and McGwire; two other handsome Irish surnames to consider are Malone and Magee.

New Presidential name, if you're ready to move beyond Lincoln and Jefferson. At the turn of the last century, during the original McKinley's heyday, as a first name it almost reached the Top 100.

Gary Sinise chose this Mc name for his late son McCanna, called Mac, in 1990, before Irish and Scottish surnames beginning with Mc or Mac became common as first names. Mac Sinise passed away from a rare form of cancer at the age of 33.

Although the Mc or Mac prefix always means "son of", the first names McKenna and MacKenna are used in the US exclusively for girls, with the McKenna spelling outpacing this one 14 to 1. There are no boys recorded with either spelling of the name.

Whether you pronounce it Mac-cleen or Mac-clayn, this is one of the crispest and most appealing of the Mac names. The Scottish clan Maclean is one of the oldest of the Highland Scottish clans. Trivia tidbit: Sir Fitzroy Maclean is said to have been an inspiration for the Ian Fleming James Bond character.

Magee became one of the first gender-bending Irish surname names so popular today thanks to New York television newswoman Magee Hickey. In case you don't know, the g is hard, as in Maggie, but with the opposite emphasis.

McGregor is a masculine name derived from Scottish and Irish heritage, originating as a surname meaning 'son of Gregor.' The ancestral name comes from the Scottish clan McGregor, with Gregor deriving from the Latin name Gregorius, meaning 'watchful' or 'vigilant.' As a first name, McGregor represents a modern trend of using traditional surnames as given names, appealing to parents seeking strong cultural connections to Celtic heritage. The name projects strength, dignity, and a distinctive character. While still uncommon as a first name, McGregor has gained some recognition through notable figures such as actor Ewan McGregor. It offers the friendly nickname options of 'Mac' or 'Greg.'

McLaren is an Anglicization of the surname MacLabhrainn, meaning "son of Labhrann." Labhrann is the Gaelic form of Laurentius, from which Lawrence also derived.

Ealair is the Gaelic form of Hilary, making McKellar an inventive way to honor a Hilary, Hillary, or Ellery in your life.

The Mc and Mac surnames are asserting themselves as first names and this is among the most usable. MacArthur or McArthur makes a perfect honorific for an ancestral Arthur and leads directly to the nicknames Mac or Art

Macallister as a first name is attracting new attention as the name chosen by Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer and venture capitalist Zack Bogue for their young son. Macallister is usually heard as a patronymic surname, meaning son of Alasdair or Alistair or any one of the spellings of the Scottish form of Alexander. Like all other names of this type, Macallister leads to the cute short form Mac.