UK boy's name
Mackay
Son of fire; of Gaelic origin, meaning "son of the bright one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mackay is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mackay popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4702, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 2019 to 2019. 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.
Mackay is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Mackay. 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 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mackay ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 3 boys were registered as Mackay.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mackay as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4702
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2019
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Mackay mean?
The name Mackay is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Aoidh, which means "son of fire" or "son of Hugh." It is believed to have emerged in the 12th century in the Western Isles of Scotland, particularly on the Isle of Islay.
The name is thought to be associated with the Clan Mackay, a Highland Scottish clan whose ancestral lands were located in the far north of the Scottish mainland, in the counties of Caithness and Sutherland. The Clan Mackay played a significant role in the history of Scotland, with members participating in various battles and conflicts.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mackay can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient Irish chronicle that mentions a man named Mackay in the year 1211. The name also appears in various Scottish historical records and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mackay. One of the most famous was Æneas Mackay (1635-1696), a Scottish soldier and military commander who served in the Scottish and Russian armies. He is particularly renowned for his role in the Battle of Killiecrankie in 1689, where he fought against the Jacobite forces.
Another prominent figure was Robert Mackay (1840-1916), a Scottish-American politician and lawyer who served as the 16th Governor of Virginia from 1894 to 1898. He played a crucial role in the development of the state's infrastructure and education system.
John Mackay (1805-1889) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist who made a fortune in the Comstock Lode silver mines in Nevada. He was instrumental in the development of the mining industry in the American West and donated generously to various educational and charitable causes.
Clarence Mackay (1874-1938) was an American businessman, financier, and philanthropist. He inherited a significant fortune from his father, John Mackay, and was actively involved in various business ventures, including the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company and the Mackay Radio and Telegraph Company.
Lastly, Charles Mackay (1814-1889) was a Scottish poet, journalist, and author best known for his work "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds," which explored the psychology of crowd behavior and the phenomena of financial bubbles and economic crises.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Mackay by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mackay 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4702 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Mackay
- 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
Mackay: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mackay in the UK right now?
In 2019, Mackay was ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Mackay most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 3 babies registered as Mackay in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mackay?
Son of fire; of Gaelic origin, meaning "son of the bright one".
How many people are called Mackay in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Mackay across the 1 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.