Mccai
A combination name derived from the Scottish surnames MacCay and MacCrae.
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Mccai. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Mccai today is around 13 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mccai births was 2013 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mccai. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Mccai. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2013
6 babies that year
Average age
13
years old
2013 SSA rank
#11,678
Tracked since 2013
Popularity
Mccai: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Mccai by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Mccai during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Mccai
The name Mccai has its origins in the ancient Celtic language of the British Isles, dating back to around the 5th century AD. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "mac" meaning "son" and the word "cai" which means "victorious" or "battle." The name may have been given to male children born during times of war or conflict, as a symbol of strength and victory.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Mccai can be found in the ancient Welsh text "Y Gododdin," a famous poem from the 6th century that commemorates the warriors who died in the battle of Catraeth. The name is mentioned in reference to one of the fallen heroes, suggesting its use as a personal name at that time.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Mccai was popular among the Celtic populations of Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It was particularly common in the regions of Ulster and Connacht in Ireland, where it was borne by several notable figures.
One such figure was Mccai of Armagh, a 9th-century Irish monk and scholar who was known for his contributions to the study of Latin and Greek literature. Another was Mccai mac Cennétig, a 10th-century Irish king of Munster who played a significant role in the political affairs of his time.
In the 12th century, the name Mccai gained prominence in Scotland, where it was associated with the powerful Clan MacDonald. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Mccai Mór, also known as Somerled, who was the progenitor of the Clan Donald and played a pivotal role in the Wars of Scottish Independence.
The name also found its way into Welsh history, with Mccai ap Gwilym, a 14th-century Welsh poet and playwright, being one of the most notable figures to bear it.
Other notable individuals throughout history who carried the name Mccai include Mccai Ó Cléirigh, a 16th-century Irish chronicler and scribe, and Mccai Mór mac Domhnaill, a 17th-century Irish chieftain and military commander.
While the name Mccai has its roots in the Celtic cultures of the British Isles, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly through Irish and Scottish diaspora communities. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply intertwined with the ancient Celtic traditions and struggles of the region.
People
Mccai + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mccai as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Mccai: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mccai?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mccai going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Mccai a common name?
We classify Mccai as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mccai most popular?
The single biggest year for Mccai was 2013, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mccai is about 13 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Mccai in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Mccai a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mccai in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Mccai still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Mccai in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Mccai can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have the name Mccai?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Mccai, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.