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The short answer
Mackenzie comes from a Scottish surname, the anglicized form of Gaelic MacCoinnich, itself built on the given name Coinneach. Behind the Name says the feminine given name was popularized by American actress Mackenzie Phillips, especially after she joined the TV comedy One Day at a Time in 1975; in the United Kingdom, by contrast, it is more often used as a boys' name. Pronounced mə-KEN-zee, it ranked #228 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
Behind the Name traces Mackenzie to "a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic MacCoinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach". As a feminine given name, the entry credits its popularization to American actress Mackenzie Phillips, particularly after she began appearing on the sitcom One Day at a Time in 1975; it notes that in the United Kingdom the name remains more common for boys. The underlying Gaelic name Coinneach was not found in the local Behind the Name cache, so its own gloss is not verified in this pass.
Editorial confidence: established
Popularity
Mackenzie ranked #228 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to the Social Security Administration.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #228 | ssa-2025 |
Nicknames, variants, and related names
Nicknames: Kenzie
Related names: None documented.
What the name feels like
Mackenzie is a classic surname-name of the 1990s-2000s American girls'-name wave, giving off a brisk, athletic energy shared with other clan-surname names like Cameron and Campbell.
Style tags: surname name, Scottish, 1990s-2000s, unisex-adjacent
Editorial interpretation: This style framing is editorial opinion. The Mackenzie Phillips popularization and the UK/US gender-use split are documented by Behind the Name; the comparison to Cameron/Campbell and the 'athletic' impression are subjective.
If you like this name
Editorial picks for readers drawn to Mackenzie's Scottish surname-name style.
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Frequently asked questions
What does the name Mackenzie mean?
Mackenzie means "son of Coinneach". It comes from the Scottish surname MacKenzie, an anglicized form of Gaelic MacCoinnich.
Is Mackenzie a boy's name or a girl's name?
Behind the Name notes it is more common as a girls' name in the United States, largely due to actress Mackenzie Phillips, but more common for boys in the United Kingdom.
Is Mackenzie a popular name?
Mackenzie ranked #228 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Mackenzie — supports etymology, history, variants, pronunciation.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
