ESC 

Name Rank Total 

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1915

First Year

2002

Last Year

1961

Peak Year

#2900

Peak Rank

154

Total Count

25

Years Active

🌍

## Meaning & Origin of Macdonald

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures. 

MacDonald, Macdonald, and McDonald are surnames of both Irish and Scottish origin. In the Scottish Gaelic and Irish languages they are patronymic, referring to an ancestor with given name Donald.

Source: [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacDonald%5F%28surname%29) (CC BY-SA 3.0). [Read more → ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacDonald%5F%28surname%29)

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## The Story of Macdonald

The earliest SSA record of Macdonald as a baby boy name dates back to 1915, when 5 babies received it. 1961 was its biggest year on record, with 9 newborns named Macdonald — #2,900 in the national rankings. About 28% of every Macdonald on record arrived during the 1950s, its defining decade. Macdonald last appeared in the published SSA data in 2002, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 154 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1910s to the 2020s.

## Popularity Over Time

## Popularity by State

ME

WA

MT

ND

MN

WI

MI

NY

VT

NH

MA

OR

ID

SD

IA

IL

IN

OH

PA

NJ

CT

RI

CA

NV

WY

NE

MO

KY

WV

VA

MD

DE

DC

UT

CO

KS

AR

TN

NC

SC

AK

AZ

NM

OK

LA

MS

AL

GA

HI

TX

FL

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

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## Names that sound like Macdonald

Phonetically similar names — useful when Macdonald is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name. 

* [Mcdonald](/mcdonald)
* Mcdonalds
* Mcdonnell
* Macdonalds
* Mcdonell
* Macdonell
* Macdonnell
* [Mcconnell](/mcconnell)
* Mcdowell
* Mcdowall
* Macdowell
* [Mcdaniel](/mcdaniel)

Source: [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/). Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated. 

❓

## Frequently Asked Questions about Macdonald

What does the name Macdonald mean?

MacDonald, Macdonald, and McDonald are surnames of both Irish and Scottish origin. In the Scottish Gaelic and Irish languages they are patronymic, referring to an ancestor with given name Donald.

How popular is Macdonald in 2026?

In 2026, Macdonald ranks #10,667 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Macdonald most popular?

Macdonald reached its peak popularity in 1961, ranking #2,900 that year with 9 babies given the name.

Is Macdonald a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Macdonald is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Macdonald?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Macdonald include Galan, Randey, Darryell. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

## Similar Names

[👦GalanPeak #2900](/galan)[👦RandeyPeak #2900](/randey)[👦DarryellPeak #2900](/darryell)[👦DantonPeak #2902](/danton)[👦DeangloPeak #2902](/deanglo)[👦ShaynPeak #2902](/shayn)[👦TashaPeak #2898](/tasha)[👦JuanmanuelPeak #2902](/juanmanuel)

## About the name Macdonald 

Macdonald is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 154 births in the dataset. Macdonald's peak popularity came in 1961 when it ranked #2,900\. Use the chart and map above to compare Macdonald's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

### Continue exploring 

* [ Top names of 1961 → ](/year/1961)
* [ Names of the 1960s → ](/decade/1960s)
* [ Names starting with "M" → ](/letter/m)
* [ Browse all boy names → ](/names/boys)
* [ Top names of 2026 → ](/year/2026)

Data sources

* Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. [Social Security Administration ](https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/). Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
* Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — [Behind the Name ](https://www.behindthename.com/) (used under their public API terms).
* Meaning prose and editorial summary — [Wikipedia ](https://en.wikipedia.org/) article extracts, licensed under [CC BY-SA 3.0 ](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/).
* Predicted nationality distribution — [Nationalize.io ](https://nationalize.io/).
* Phonetically similar names — [Datamuse ](https://www.datamuse.com/api/).

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.