Mackenzi

Meaning & origin

Mackenzi is a American spelling variant of the Scottish surname Mackenzie, which has been used as a feminine given name since the late 20th century. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1978, and its popularity rose rapidly in the 1990s and early 2000s, reaching its peak in 2003. Since then, use of this particular spelling has steadily declined, though it still remains in modest use. In 2025, Mackenzi ranked 13,208, with an estimated 1 in every 267,878 newborn girls receiving the name. The variant reflects broader trends in American naming: a preference for names ending in 'i', feminine adaptations of surnames, and creative respellings. Mackenzi is primarily used in the United States and Canada, with no single state standing out as a particular stronghold.

Mackenzi is a feminine variant of the Scottish surname Mackenzie, which originated as a patronymic meaning 'son of Coinneach'. Coinneach is a Gaelic personal name meaning 'handsome' or 'comely'. The name Mackenzie gained popularity as a given name in the late 20th century, and the variant spelling Mackenzi emerged as a creative alternative, particularly in the United States. It is most common in North America, where it has been used for girls since the 1970s.