UK boy's name
Mackinley
Scottish surname origin meaning "handsome person" or "attractive person".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2016. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Mackinley is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Mackinley popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2016 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4023, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 6 births.
This profile covers 26 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2008 to 2016. 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 67% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 26 living people in the UK are called Mackinley. 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 2017 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Mackinley ranked #4023 for boys in England and Wales in 2016, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 6 boys were registered as Mackinley.
- • About 26 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mackinley as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4023
2016
Births in 2016
4
Latest year
Peak year
2008
6 births
Estimated living
26
2026
Meaning
What does Mackinley mean?
Mackinley is a given name of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "fionnlagh" meaning "fair-haired stranger" or "blonde warrior." The name likely originated in the late medieval period, around the 13th or 14th century, when Gaelic names were commonly used in Scotland.
The name Mackinley is closely linked to the Scottish clan of Mackinnon, which traces its roots back to the islands of Mull and Skye in the Hebrides. The Mackinnon clan was known for its fierce warriors and seafaring traditions, and the name Mackinley may have been used to denote a fair-haired or blonde member of the clan.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mackinley can be found in the 16th century, when a man named Mackinley of Strathardle is mentioned in the Scottish historical records. However, the name remained relatively uncommon until the 19th century, when it began to gain popularity as a given name.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Mackinley. One of the most prominent was William McKinley (1843-1901), the 25th President of the United States, whose surname is derived from the same Scottish roots as the given name Mackinley. Another notable figure was Sir Alexander Mackinnon (1865-1942), a Scottish politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of the Straits Settlements (now part of Malaysia) from 1904 to 1910.
In the world of literature, Mackinley Kantor (1904-1977) was an American novelist and screenwriter who won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1956 for his novel "Andersonville." In the realm of science, Mackinley Helm (1896-1963) was an American chemist who made significant contributions to the field of organic chemistry and the development of synthetic rubber during World War II.
Additionally, Mackinley Browne (1868-1941) was a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the Attorney General of British Columbia from 1926 to 1928, while Mackinley Helmick (1888-1973) was an American businessman and philanthropist who founded the Helmick Corporation, a successful construction company in West Virginia.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mackinley over time
The chart below shows babies named Mackinley registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2008 to 2016. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Mackinley, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2016, compared with 6 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mackinley by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mackinley 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 | #4037 | 20 | 5 |
| 2000s | #2775 | 6 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Mackinley
- 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
Mackinley: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mackinley in the UK right now?
In 2016, Mackinley was ranked #4023 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Mackinley most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 6 babies registered as Mackinley in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mackinley?
Scottish surname origin meaning "handsome person" or "attractive person".
How many people are called Mackinley in the UK?
A total of 26 babies have been registered as Mackinley across the 6 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.