Mckinleigh
An invented feminine name potentially derived from the Scottish surname McKinley.
Name Census estimates that about 472 living Americans carry the first name Mckinleigh. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Mckinleigh today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Mckinleigh births was 2018 (42 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Mckinleigh. 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.
People living today
472
~ 1 in 726,174 Americans
Peak year
2018
42 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,753
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Mckinleigh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Mckinleigh from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 315 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Mckinleigh remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mckinleigh 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 Mckinleigh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Mckinleighs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Mckinleigh
The name Mckinleigh is a relatively modern creation, seemingly originating in the English-speaking world within the past few centuries. While its precise origins are unclear, it appears to be a variant or combination of the Scottish surname McKinley and the English name Leigh.
The McKinley portion of the name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic "Mac Fhionghuin," meaning "son of Finguine." Finguine was a personal name of uncertain origin, potentially related to the Old Irish word "finn," meaning "fair" or "white." The McKinley surname has been recorded in Scotland since the 16th century and was later adopted by many Scottish immigrants to the United States and other parts of the English-speaking world.
The Leigh component of the name is an English habitational name originating from various places called Leigh or Ley, deriving from the Old English "leah," meaning "a clearing in a forest." The name Leigh has been in use since ancient times and has been borne by numerous notable individuals throughout history.
While the name Mckinleigh itself is relatively uncommon, it may have been inspired by or associated with the 25th President of the United States, William McKinley (1843-1901). McKinley was a prominent figure in American politics during the late 19th century, serving as President from 1897 until his assassination in 1901.
Another possible influence on the name Mckinleigh could be the Scottish author and poet William McKinley Runyan (1870-1957), who wrote under the pen name "Wan-Kinney." Runyan was a prolific writer known for his works on Scottish history and culture.
Other notable individuals who have borne variations of the name McKinley include the American actress and singer Lori McKinleigh (born 1953), and the Canadian ice hockey player John McKinleigh (born 1949).
It's worth noting that while the name Mckinleigh may have historical influences, it does not appear to have been in widespread use until relatively recently. As a modern creation, it likely reflects a trend towards unique and distinctive names, often combining elements from different cultural or linguistic backgrounds.
People
Mckinleigh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Mckinleigh 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
Mckinleigh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Mckinleigh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 472 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Mckinleigh 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 726,174 US residents.
Is Mckinleigh a common name?
We classify Mckinleigh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 476 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Mckinleigh most popular?
The single biggest year for Mckinleigh was 2018, when 42 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Mckinleigh is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Mckinleigh a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Mckinleigh in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.