Find out how popular the first name Mccain has been for the last 20 years (from 2000 to 2019) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Mccain by gender

Based on the last 20 years of data, Mccain is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2019, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Mccain.

The history of the first name Mccain

The name McCain is of Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname MacCathain, which means "son of Catháin." Catháin itself is a diminutive form of the name Cath, meaning "battle" or "warrior." The name is believed to have emerged in the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century, when surnames began to be adopted in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McCain can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the late 13th century, where it appears as "MacCathain." This suggests that the name was already in use among Scottish clans and families during that time period.

Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name McCain. One of the earliest was Sir James McCain (c. 1540-1593), a Scottish nobleman and military commander who served under King James VI of Scotland. He was known for his valor in battles against the English during the Anglo-Scottish Wars.

Another prominent figure was John McCain (1647-1718), an Irish Presbyterian minister and philosopher. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and authored several theological works that influenced religious thought in the region.

In more recent times, the name gained wider recognition with the American politician John Sidney McCain III (1936-2018), a United States Senator from Arizona and the Republican Party's nominee for President in the 2008 election. He was a decorated military veteran who served in the Vietnam War and spent over five years as a prisoner of war.

Other notable individuals with the name McCain include:

1. William McCain (1788-1869), an American politician and judge from North Carolina.
2. Franklin McCain (born 1941), an American civil rights activist and one of the Greensboro Four, who staged sit-ins at a segregated lunch counter in 1960, sparking a significant event in the Civil Rights Movement.
3. James McCain (1829-1905), an American businessman and co-founder of the Mississippi Valley Trust Company, one of the earliest banking institutions in the Midwest.
4. Harry McCain (1932-2018), an American jazz drummer and session musician who performed with several renowned artists, including Dizzy Gillespie and Sarah Vaughan.
5. Catharine McCain (1810-1887), an Irish-American educator and philanthropist who founded several schools and educational institutions in Pennsylvania.

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 Mccain was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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