Find out how popular the first name Mackenzie has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Mackenzie by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Mackenzie is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 95% of people named Mackenzie being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 1,737 female babies and 86 male babies born with the name Mackenzie.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 86 baby boys were named Mackenzie in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Mackenzie

The name Mackenzie originated in Scotland and is derived from the Gaelic personal name Coinneach, which means "handsome" or "comely." The name is also related to the Scottish surname MacKenzie, meaning "son of Coinneach." The spelling variations include MacKenzie, McKenzie, and Mackenzie.

In the 12th century, the name was associated with the powerful Clan Mackenzie, who ruled over large territories in the Scottish Highlands. The clan's origins can be traced back to a semi-legendary figure named Gillean Og, who lived in the 13th century and was said to be the progenitor of the Mackenzie clan.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mackenzie appears in the 14th century, when Sir Reginald Mackenzie was granted lands in Ross-shire by King David II of Scotland. In the 16th century, John Mackenzie, 9th of Kintail (1515-1561), played a significant role in the clan's expansion and consolidation of power.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mackenzie. One of the most famous was Sir Alexander Mackenzie (1764-1820), a Scottish explorer and fur trader who completed the first overland journey across continental North America in 1793, reaching the Pacific Ocean.

Another prominent figure was William Lyon Mackenzie (1795-1861), a Scottish-Canadian journalist and political rebel who led the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837 against the British colonial government.

In the literary world, Compton Mackenzie (1883-1972) was a renowned Scottish novelist, playwright, and memoirist, best known for his satirical novels such as "Sinister Street" and "The Monarch of the Glen."

Douglas Mackenzie (1753-1851), a Scottish explorer and naval officer, is remembered for his expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic regions in the early 19th century, as well as his contributions to the mapping of the Australian coastline.

Lastly, Murial Mackenzie (1876-1953), a Scottish nurse and suffragette, played a crucial role in the women's suffrage movement in the United Kingdom and was a prominent advocate for women's rights.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Mackenzie was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Mackenzie, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!