UK name, mostly boys
Makenzie
From the Scottish surname meaning "son of the fair, bright one".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2015. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a girls' name in the UK, with 181 girls.
Makenzie is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Makenzie popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2015 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3908, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2005, with 37 births.
This profile covers 247 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 1996 to 2015. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 11% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 269 living people in the UK are called Makenzie. 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 2016 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Makenzie ranked #3908 for boys in England and Wales in 2015, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2005, when 37 boys were registered as Makenzie.
- • Makenzie ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #329 in 2009.
- • Makenzie is also recorded for girls, but the boys side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 269 living people in the UK are estimated to have Makenzie as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 57.7% of Makenzie registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3908
2015
Births in 2015
4
Latest year
Peak year
2005
37 births
Estimated living
269
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Makenzie
In England and Wales birth records, Makenzie has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 57.7% of registrations are for boys and 42.3% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Makenzie registered for boys
- Ranked #3,908 in 2015
- 4 boys registered in 2015
- Peak: 2005 (37 births)
Makenzie registered for girls
- Ranked #5,785 in 2016
- 3 girls registered in 2016
- Peak: 2005 (24 births)
Meaning
What does Makenzie mean?
Makenzie is a feminine given name of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname MacKenzie, which means "son of the fair bright one." The name traces its roots back to the 13th century, when the Clan Mackenzie emerged as one of the most powerful and influential clans in the Scottish Highlands.
The earliest recorded instance of the name Makenzie as a given name dates back to the late 19th century, though it did not gain widespread popularity until the mid-20th century. One of the first notable bearers of the name was Makenzie King, a Canadian politician who served as the 10th Prime Minister of Canada from 1921 to 1930 and again from 1935 to 1948.
In the world of literature, Makenzie is the name of a character in the novel "The Curse of the Mistwraith" by Janny Wurts, published in 1992. This fantasy novel is part of the "Wars of Light and Shadow" series and follows the adventures of the young protagonist, Makenzie.
Another notable figure named Makenzie was Makenzie Vaux, an American actress and model born in 1986, known for her roles in films such as "The Grace Card" (2010) and "The Blind Side" (2009).
In the realm of sports, Makenzie Meyer is an American professional soccer player who currently plays as a midfielder for the Kansas City Current in the National Women's Soccer League. She was born in 1995 and has represented the United States at various youth national team levels.
Makenzie Lanne, born in 2000, is an Australian artistic gymnast who has represented her country in international competitions, including the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where she won a silver medal in the team event.
Throughout its history, the name Makenzie has maintained a unique and distinctive character, blending its Scottish heritage with a modern and versatile appeal. While it may have evolved in spelling and pronunciation over time, the name continues to evoke a sense of strength, resilience, and individuality.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Makenzie over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Makenzie in England and Wales, from 1996 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 Makenzie, the clearest high point is 2005. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2015, compared with 37 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Makenzie by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Makenzie 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 | #3293 | 29 | 5 |
| 2000s | #1369 | 205 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2364 | 13 | 3 |
Geography
Where Makenzie is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Makenzie. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Makenzie ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #329 in 2009.
Across the UK
Makenzie in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#448 in 2007
5 years of NRS records, 20 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#329 in 2009
1 years of NISRA records, 4 total registered
Related
Names similar to Makenzie
- 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
Makenzie: questions and answers
How popular is the name Makenzie in the UK right now?
In 2015, Makenzie was ranked #3908 for boys in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Makenzie most popular?
The peak year on record was 2005, with 37 babies registered as Makenzie in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Makenzie?
From the Scottish surname meaning "son of the fair, bright one".
How many people are called Makenzie in the UK?
A total of 247 babies have been registered as Makenzie across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 20 more in Scotland and 4 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Makenzie most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Makenzie ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #329 in 2009. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.