Mckay
Meaningson of fire · Scottish
- US rank
- #3,583
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #1,182 in 1995
31 babies were named Mckay in the US in 2025. It has dropped 447 places in five years.
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US births per million boys, 1917–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Mckay you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 55,249 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Mckay, 31 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Mckay would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryMckay first shows up in US birth records in 1917, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 108 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1995, when it ranked #1,182. Today it's #3,583, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendMckay has slipped 447 places over the last five years and now sits at #3,583. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedMckay is most popular in Utah, where it ranks #288, followed by Idaho (#435). It's in the top 1,000 in 2 states.
- Boy or girlMckay is given to both boys and girls: 78% of the 40 babies named Mckay in 2025 were boys. That makes it one of the names that truly works for either.
- MeaningIn Scottish, Mckay means “son of fire”. Our records link it to Celtic and Scottish roots.
About the name Mckay
Mckay is a boy name of Celtic and Scottish origin meaning “son of fire”. It has 5 letters and 1 syllable, starting with M and ending in “-kay”. US birth records list Mckay for boys from 1917 to 2025, in 58 of those 109 years. Its best year was 1995, when it ranked #1,182 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #3,583, with 31 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesScottish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 2.2 | 461,538 boys |
| 1920s | 1.7 | 581,395 boys |
| 1930s | 0.5 | 2,083,333 boys |
| 1960s | 0.4 | 2,272,727 boys |
| 1970s | 3.7 | 267,380 boys |
| 1980s | 9.5 | 105,042 boys |
| 1990s | 32 | 31,466 boys |
| 2000s | 32 | 30,836 boys |
| 2010s | 28 | 35,100 boys |
| 2020s | 21 | 46,765 boys |
Other spellings of Mckay
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Mckay
What does the name Mckay mean?
Mckay means “son of fire” in Scottish.
What is the origin of the name Mckay?
Mckay has Celtic, Scottish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Mckay a boy or girl name?
Mckay is a boy name, though a few girls get it too.
How popular is the name Mckay?
Mckay ranked #3,583 for US boys in 2025, given to 31 babies. Its best year was 1995 (#1,182).