Makinley
2025 SSA
About Makinley
Makinley is a modern feminine name that emerged in the early 2000s as part of the trend toward creating new names inspired by surnames and place names. It appears to be a creative spelling variant of McKinley, which itself derives from the Scottish Gaelic surname Mac Fhionnlaigh, meaning 'son of Fionnlagh' (fair warrior). The name gained modest popularity in the United States during the 2010s, appealing to parents seeking distinctive names with traditional roots. Makinley follows the popular pattern of names with the '-ley' ending sound, similar to contemporaries like Kinsley and Paisley. The spelling with 'Ma-' rather than 'Mc-' gives it a more feminine appearance. The name projects a modern, energetic quality while maintaining connections to historical naming traditions.
Pronounced MAK-in-lee.
As of October 2026, Makinley ranked #5052 for girls in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #1341 for girls in 2013.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,631 | 132 | 73.9 |
| 2015 | #1,970 | 102 | 57.1 |
| 2016 | #2,077 | 95 | 53.6 |
| 2017 | #2,249 | 84 | 48.7 |
| 2018 | #2,354 | 78 | 45.9 |
| 2019 | #2,774 | 61 | 36.3 |
| 2020 | #2,919 | 56 | 34.6 |
| 2021 | #2,739 | 63 | 38.4 |
| 2022 | #3,512 | 45 | 27.4 |
| 2023 | #4,160 | 35 | 21.8 |
| 2024 | #4,081 | 36 | 22.2 |
| 2025 | — | 0 | 0 |