How to say it
mc · KEN · na
məˈkɛn.ə
Feminine
Mckenna
Child of Cionaodh (born of fire)
What it means
An Irish surname, Mac Cionaodha, 'son of Cionaodh,' a name tied to fire.
Mckenna comes from the Irish surname Mac Cionaodha, 'son of Cionaodh,' a personal name linked to fire. Like Mckenzie and Makayla, it crossed from surname to feminine first name on the Mc- wave of the 1990s and 2000s. It reads spirited and modern, and folds down to the sweet Kenna or Mac. Makenna is the phonetic respelling.
How to spell Mckenna
The standard spelling is Mckenna. Common variants include McKenna, Makenna, Mackenna, but Mckenna is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #177 in 2002, currently #410 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Kenna and Mac are the shorts.
- Spelling
Mckenna, McKenna, and Makenna are the same Irish 'son of fire' surname turned feminine.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Mckenna Grace American actress known for Gifted and the Ghostbusters films
Spelling variants
- McKenna
- Makenna
- Mackenna
Names with the same feeling
See Mckenna from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Mckenna mean?
- An Irish surname, Mac Cionaodha, 'son of Cionaodh,' a name tied to fire.
- What does Mckenna mean in Irish?
- In Irish, Mckenna means "Child of Cionaodh (born of fire)." Mckenna comes from the Irish surname Mac Cionaodha, 'son of Cionaodh,' a personal name linked to fire. Like Mckenzie and Makayla, it crossed from surname to feminine first name on the Mc- wave of the 1990s and 2000s. It reads spirited and modern, and folds down to the sweet Kenna or Mac. Makenna is the phonetic respelling.
- How do you pronounce Mckenna?
- Mckenna is pronounced məˈkɛn.ə. Say it as mc-KEN-na, with the stress on the "ken" syllable.
- How do you spell Mckenna?
- The standard spelling is Mckenna. Common spelling variants include McKenna, Makenna, Mackenna.
- Is Mckenna a boy or girl name?
- Mckenna is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Mckenna?
- Mckenna ranked #410 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.