Mackey

Meaning & origin

Mackey is a surname-turned-given name with roots in Scotland and Ireland. It first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1919, a relatively late entry compared to many traditional names. Its peak year was 1942, during a period when Scottish and Irish surnames were gaining popularity as first names. Today, Mackey remains rare, with a 1-in-341,615 occurrence rate in 2025, placing it well outside the top 10,000. The name has been given almost exclusively to boys, and its trajectory has been stable, neither surging nor plummeting. Mackey is not strongly associated with any particular U.S. state, as its usage is sparse nationwide. Its etymology ties it to the Gaelic god of fire, giving it a subtle, ancient resonance that blends with its modern American history.

Mackey is an anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname Mac Aodha, meaning 'son of Aodh'. Aodh was an ancient Celtic god of fire and the sun, and the name itself means 'fire'. The surname was carried to Ireland by Scottish settlers, particularly in Ulster, where it became established. As a given name, Mackey emerged in the United States in the early 20th century, likely as a surname transferred to first name or as a variant of Mack.