Given name & surname · also Gaelic
McKenzie
In English use, McKenzie has a related form in Mackenzie. Interpretations include “daughter of a wise leader; a fiery woman; one who is fair” and “the son of a wise leader; a fiery man; one who is fair”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, McKenzie has a related form in Mackenzie. Interpretations include “daughter of a wise leader; a fiery woman; one who is fair” and “the son of a wise leader; a fiery man; one who is fair”. These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1917. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
McKenzie through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 67,045
- 2,266 boys · 64,779 girls
- Most popular year
- 2000
- 2,586 babies
- 2025
- 528
- #576 for girls · #7,506 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −51%
- Cooling
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 1% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 517 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 576 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 51.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 2,528 in 2000. It also appeared in 11 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (44). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 56,889 as a first name in 2020; 58,046 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
McKenzie’s family of names
In English usage, McKenzie has a related form in Mackenzie. In English usage, McKenzie as a surname has a related form in MCKINZIE.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 1
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named McKenzie
- McKenzie WarkAustralia-born writer and scholar (born 1961)
- McKenzie AdamsAmerican volleyball playerborn 1992
- McKenzie MooreAmerican basketball player (born 1992)
- McKenzie BrowneAmerican speed skaterborn 1995
- McKenzie LongAmerican athlete (born 2000)
- McKenzie CoanAmerican Paralympic swimmerborn 1996
- McKenzie WestmoreAmerican actressborn 1977
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love McKenzie, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
McKenna
“the son of Kenna; to ascend”
>99% girls
Nia
“a lustrous woman” · “one with a purpose”
>99% girls
Kenzie
“one who is fair; lightskinned”
1% boys · 99% girls
McKayla
“a fiery woman”
>99% girls
Cassidy
“curly-haired girl” · “a clever man”
7% boys · 93% girls
Luz
“refers to the Virgin Mary, Our Lady of Light” · “of the moon”
1% boys · 99% girls
Keira
“little dark-haired one” · “having dark features; the little dark one”
>99% girls
Maclaine
“the son of John's servant”
>99% girls