UK boy's name
Macen
Of Irish origin, meaning "son of the fire" or "son of strength".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2021. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Macen is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Macen popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3990, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 4 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 2008 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 100% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Macen. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2022 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Macen ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales in 2021, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 4 boys were registered as Macen.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Macen as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3990
2021
Births in 2021
4
Latest year
Peak year
2010
4 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Meaning
What does Macen mean?
The name Macen is of Scottish Gaelic origin, derived from the Gaelic word "mac" meaning "son". It is believed to have emerged as a given name in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, in the Scottish Highlands and Islands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Macen can be found in the ancient Scottish manuscript known as the Book of Deer, a 9th-century religious text written in Latin and Gaelic. The name appears in the form "Maccen", likely referring to a local landowner or chieftain.
During the Middle Ages, the name Macen was particularly common among the clans and families of the Scottish Highlands. It was often used as a patronymic, meaning "son of", followed by the father's name. For example, "Macen mac Domhnall" would signify "Macen, son of Donald".
One notable historical figure who bore the name Macen was Macen, son of Anrias, a 6th-century king of the Brittonic kingdom of Gododdin, which encompassed parts of modern-day Scotland and northern England. He is mentioned in the ancient Welsh poem Y Gododdin, which recounts the heroic exploits of Brittonic warriors in the Battle of Catraeth.
In the 16th century, Macen MacDonald, also known as Macen Mor (Gaelic for "Big Macen"), was a prominent figure in the Scottish clan system. He served as the 8th Chief of the Clan Donald, one of the most powerful clans in the Western Isles of Scotland, from 1520 to 1540.
Another historical figure named Macen was Macen Gillespie, a Scottish writer and poet from the 17th century. Born around 1620 in Argyll, Scotland, he is best known for his collection of Gaelic poetry titled "The Songs of Macen Gillespie", which provides valuable insights into the cultural and linguistic traditions of the Scottish Highlands during that period.
In more recent times, Macen Lintz (born 1979) is an American actor and film producer, known for his roles in movies such as "The Crazies" (2010) and "The Shawshank Redemption" (1994). While not of Scottish descent, his unique first name reflects the enduring appeal and cultural significance of the name Macen.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Macen over time
The chart below shows babies named Macen registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2021. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Macen, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2021, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Macen by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Macen was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #3990 | 4 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4335 | 7 | 2 |
| 2000s | #4480 | 6 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Macen
- Matthew 80,931
- Mohammed 74,321
- Muhammad 72,235
- Max 59,807
- Michael 47,075
- Mason 38,935
- Mohammad 25,910
- Morgan 15,994
- Muhammed 11,527
- Mark 11,336
- Marcus 11,257
- Maxwell 10,006
FAQ
Macen: questions and answers
How popular is the name Macen in the UK right now?
In 2021, Macen was ranked #3990 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Macen most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 4 babies registered as Macen in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Macen?
Of Irish origin, meaning "son of the fire" or "son of strength".
How many people are called Macen in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Macen across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.