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The short answer
Mckinley is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, from the given name Fionnlagh. As a given name in America, it was mainly masculine in the late 19th century and the majority of the 20th, being most common around the times of the president's election and assassination." It ranked #714 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, from the given name Fionnlagh. As a given name in America, it was mainly masculine in the late 19th century and the majority of the 20th, being most common around the times of the president's election and assassination. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Mckinley ranked #714 for girls in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #714 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Mckinley in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Mckinley mean?
Behind the Name does not give Mckinley a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh.
Is Mckinley a popular name?
Mckinley ranked #714 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Mckinley a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Mckinley appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine & masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name McKinley — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
