Given name & surname
Mckinnon
McKinnon is a surname from Scottish Gaelic. It is used in English and French.
Meaning & origin
How it developed
In French usage, Mckinnon as a surname developed from MhicFhionghain.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1995. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Mckinnon through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 174
- 153 boys · 21 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 19 babies
- 2025
- 19
- #6,327 for boys · #16,453 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −2%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 14 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 6,327 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. It also appeared in 5 birth records for girls in 2025. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 226 as a first name in 2020; 14,634 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.
Mckinnon’s family of names
In French usage, Mckinnon as a surname developed from the Scottish Gaelic form MhicFhionghain. In English usage, Mckinnon as a surname has a related form in Kinion. In English usage, Mckinnon as a surname has a related form in Kinnon.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Mckinnon has relatives in 3 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
5 related names in 3 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 4
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.
Similar names
If you love Mckinnon, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
McKennon
“the son of Kenna; to ascend”
>99% boys
Kallan
“of the flowing water” · “powerful in battle”
83% boys · 17% girls
Buchanan
Buchanan is a masculine given name from Scottish Gaelic. It is used in English and Italian.
>99% boys
Laughlin
“from the land of the fjord; a servant”
71% boys · 29% girls
Faolan
“resembling a little wolf”
>99% boys
Gannon
“a fair-skinned man”
>99% boys
Odhran
“refers to a pale-green color”
>99% boys
Lonan
“resembling a cloud”
>99% boys