Mckinley
Mckinley is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Mckinley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Mckinley is a name with a single cultural origin: English.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Mckinley
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Mckinley as a girl name dates back to 1978, when 5 babies received it. 2014 was its biggest year on record, with 862 newborns named Mckinley — #379 in the national rankings. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 54% of all recorded Mckinleys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #790 among girl names with 355 births, falling sharply (-36%). In total, more than 13K Mckinleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Mckinley on the record books as a boy name in 1890, with 7 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1920, when 148 Mckinleys were born — ranking #495 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #4,944 among boy names with 20 births, falling sharply (-48%). In total, more than 10K Mckinleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Mckinley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Mckinley is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mckinley
What does the name Mckinley mean?
What is the origin of the name Mckinley?
How popular is Mckinley in 2026?
When was Mckinley most popular?
In which U.S. states is Mckinley most popular?
Is Mckinley a unisex name?
What names go well with Mckinley?
About the name Mckinley
Mckinley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1978 and has accumulated 13K births in the dataset. Mckinley's peak popularity came in 2014 when it ranked #379. Use the chart and map above to compare Mckinley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2014 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "M" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . 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 (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
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.