Home › Baby Names Directory › Mackenzie

Mackenzie

♀ Girl

Pronounced muh-KEN-zee /məˈkɛn.zi/High

Meaning: Son of the fair one — from Scottish Gaelic <em>Mac Coinnich</em> (son of Coinneach), where Coinneach means 'handsome' or 'fair one'High

In 30 seconds: A Scottish Gaelic clan name meaning 'son of the fair one,' Mackenzie crossed from boys' surname to girls' given name in the 1990s and became a U.S. top-100 staple with its energetic sound.
💕 Browse more names
Origin HighScottish Gaelic
MeaningSon of the fair one — from Scottish Gaelic <em>Mac Coinnich</em> (son of Coinneach), where Coinneach means 'handsome' or 'fair one'
Peak year2001
Total births (all-time)≈ 124,528

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 200119732017

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Mackenzie derives from the Scottish Gaelic Mac Coinnich, meaning 'son of Coinneach.' The personal name Coinneach (anglicized as Kenneth or Kenneth) means 'handsome' or 'fair one.' Clan MacKenzie was one of the most prominent Highland clans, giving the name strong Scottish heritage. It became an anglicized surname through the usual Gaelic-to-English transition.

Mackenzie began its transition to a girls' given name in the United States in the 1990s, part of the broader wave of Scottish surname-names adopted for girls. It entered the U.S. top 100 girls' names by the early 2000s and remained there for over a decade. Various spellings (Mckenzie, Makenzie) are also common.

Did you know? The Clan MacKenzie was one of the most powerful Highland clans of Scotland, controlling large swathes of Ross-shire and Sutherland. Their motto — Luceo non uro, 'I shine, not burn' — is as poetic as the name.

Variations

MckenzieMakenzieKenzie

Nicknames

KenzieMacMack

Famous Bearers

  • ★Mackenzie Foy (b. 2000)
    American actress known for her roles in Interstellar and The Twilight Saga.

If you like Mackenzie…

Kennedy— Scottish/Irish surname-name with the same Gaelic heritage and girls' appeal
Delaney— Irish surname-name with the same energetic three-syllable sound
Reagan— strong Gaelic surname-name popular with similar audiences

Frequently Asked

What does the name Mackenzie mean?

Mackenzie is from Scottish Gaelic <em>Mac Coinnich</em>, meaning 'son of Coinneach,' where Coinneach means 'handsome' or 'fair one.'

How do you pronounce Mackenzie?

Mackenzie is pronounced muh-KEN-zee /məˈkɛn.zi/ — three syllables with stress on the second.

Is Mackenzie a boy or girl name?

Mackenzie is now used primarily as a girls' name in the U.S., though it originated as a Scottish clan surname.

How popular is Mackenzie?

Mackenzie was a U.S. top-100 girls' name through much of the 2000s and early 2010s and remains popular today.