Holding steady.
Popularity of Makenze since 1994
Babies named Makenze per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1990s | 46 |
| 2000s | 109 |
| 2010s | 32 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Makenze is a modern respelling of the Scottish surname and given name McKenzie. It first appeared on the U.S. baby name charts in 1994, during a period when phonetic and simplified spellings of established names were gaining popularity. The name reached its highest rank of 4073 in 2000, reflecting a peak in the adoption of the original McKenzie and its many variations. In the latest available year, 2025, Makenze did not rank among the top 1000 names, consistent with a broader decline in the use of '-enzie' names after their 1990s and early 2000s peak. Although it has no recorded top state concentrations, the name fits a pattern of creative respellings that have become common across the United States.
Makenze is a modern respelling of McKenzie, an Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic surname Mac Coinnich, meaning 'son of Coinneach'. Coinneach is a personal name traditionally translated as 'handsome' or 'comely'. The surname McKenzie originated in the Scottish Highlands, and the given name gained popularity in the United States during the late 20th century, particularly in spellings like Mackenzie and McKenzie.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kenzie, Kenna, Mack, Makena
Sibling names for Makenze
Names that share Makenze's style, for a brother or sister.
