UK girl's name
Mckayla
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "great fighter" or "fighter of fire".
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.
Mckayla is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Mckayla popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2021 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5581, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 17 births.
This profile covers 150 England and Wales registrations across 19 recorded years from 2001 to 2021. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 18% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 152 living people in the UK are called Mckayla. 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
- • Mckayla ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales in 2021, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 17 girls were registered as Mckayla.
- • Mckayla ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #810 in 2011.
- • About 152 living people in the UK are estimated to have Mckayla as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5581
2021
Births in 2021
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
17 births
Estimated living
152
2026
Meaning
What does Mckayla mean?
The given name Mckayla is a modern variant of the traditional Scottish feminine name Michaela, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Michael meaning "who is like God?". The name Mckayla gained popularity in the late 20th century, particularly in the United States and Canada.
The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" in the name Mckayla is a Scottish Gaelic patronymic meaning "son of". It was originally used to denote the patronymic lineage of a person, indicating that the bearer was the son or daughter of someone with the given name that followed the prefix. Over time, the prefix became an integral part of certain given names, including Mckayla.
While the name Mckayla does not have a long historical lineage, it does share its roots with the ancient Hebrew name Michael. The name Michael is found in various religious texts, including the Bible, where it is the name of an archangel. It has been a popular name throughout history and has been borne by numerous notable figures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mckayla can be traced back to the late 20th century. However, it is important to note that due to its relatively modern origin, there are limited historical references or famous bearers of this particular spelling.
That said, here are a few notable individuals who have carried the name Mckayla throughout history:
1. Mckayla Maroney (born 1995) - American former artistic gymnast and Olympic medalist. 2. Mckayla Morton (born 1994) - American basketball player. 3. Mckayla Fruge (born 1995) - American softball player. 4. Mckayla Thiessen (born 1988) - Canadian ice hockey player. 5. Mckayla Kruger (born 1988) - South African cricketer.
While the name Mckayla may not have a long and storied history, its roots can be traced back to ancient Hebrew and Scottish Gaelic origins, reflecting the cultural diversity and modern adaptations that have enriched the world of given names.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Mckayla over time
The chart below shows babies named Mckayla registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2001 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 Mckayla, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2021, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Mckayla by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Mckayla 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 | #4740 | 8 | 2 |
| 2010s | #3351 | 83 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2583 | 59 | 7 |
Geography
Where Mckayla is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Mckayla. 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.
Mckayla ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #810 in 2011.
Across the UK
Mckayla in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#810 in 2011
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Mckayla
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Mckayla: questions and answers
How popular is the name Mckayla in the UK right now?
In 2021, Mckayla was ranked #5581 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Mckayla most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 17 babies registered as Mckayla in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Mckayla?
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly meaning "great fighter" or "fighter of fire".
How many people are called Mckayla in the UK?
A total of 150 babies have been registered as Mckayla across the 19 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Mckayla most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Mckayla ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #810 in 2011. 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.