Mccartney first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Mccartney has been for the last 28 years (from 1995 to 2022) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Mccartney

A masculine name of Scottish origin likely meaning "son of cartney".

Popularity of Mccartney by gender

Based on the last 28 years of data, Mccartney is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 73% of people named Mccartney being female.

For the most recent data in 2022, there were 11 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Mccartney.

Year Male Count Female Count
2022 0 11
2021 6 6
2020 6 10
2019 5 10
2018 0 5
2017 0 15
2016 0 14
2015 5 20
2014 0 21
2013 0 21
2012 7 20
2011 7 13
2010 0 7
2009 8 12
2008 8 23
2007 0 10
2006 7 12
2005 9 7
2004 7 11
2003 6 15
2002 8 16
2001 6 7
2000 6 6
1999 5 6
1996 0 5
1995 8 0

The history of the first name Mccartney

The name Mccartney is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic phrase "mac Artain," meaning "son of Artan." Artan itself is a diminutive form of the name Art, which was a common Gaelic personal name believed to have meant "bear" or "hero." The prefix "mac" simply means "son of" in Gaelic.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Mccartney can be traced back to the 12th century in Scotland. It was primarily used as a surname, indicating a person's paternal lineage. However, over time, the name also gained popularity as a given name, particularly in Irish and Scottish communities.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the name Mccartney was Sir John Mccartney (1690-1760), a Scottish physician and botanist. He was appointed as the King's Botanist and served as the director of the Chelsea Physic Garden in London.

Another historical figure with the name Mccartney was George Mccartney (1737-1806), an Irish-born British diplomat and colonial administrator. He served as the first envoy from Britain to China and was instrumental in establishing trade relations between the two nations.

In the 19th century, Mccartney gained further recognition through the life of Sir George Mccartney (1834-1900), a British colonial administrator who served as the Governor of the Cape Colony (now part of South Africa) from 1869 to 1874.

One of the most famous individuals with the name Mccartney is Sir Paul Mccartney (born 1942), the legendary English singer, songwriter, and musician. As a member of the iconic band The Beatles, he co-wrote numerous hit songs and is considered one of the most influential and successful musicians of all time.

Another notable Mccartney was Jesse Mccartney (born 1987), an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 2000s with his pop albums and has since appeared in various television shows and movies.

The name Mccartney, with its rich Scottish and Irish heritage, has a long and diverse history. While it has been primarily used as a surname, its adoption as a given name has allowed it to transcend generations and cultural boundaries, making it a recognizable and enduring moniker across the globe.

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

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

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"Mccartney first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on June 9, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/mccartney-meaning-and-history/.

"Mccartney first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/mccartney-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 9 June, 2025

Mccartney first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/mccartney-meaning-and-history/.

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