Rising since 1988, #4,857 for boys today.
Popularity of Mcclain since 1918
Babies named Mcclain per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 11 |
| 1920s | 0 | 5 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0 | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 | 15 |
| 1980s | 0 | 17 |
| 1990s | 5 | 97 |
| 2000s | 7 | 115 |
| 2010s | 31 | 117 |
| 2020s | 49 | 107 |
Meaning & origin
Mcclain is a unisex given name that has seen a steady rise in use since 1988, reflecting a broader trend of using surnames as first names. As of 2025, it ranks 4,857th in U.S. births, with an incidence of 1 in 85,404. The name peaked in 2022, suggesting growing but still rare popularity. Its first recorded U.S. birth was in 1918, but the name remained obscure for decades. The variant spelling with a lowercase 'c' is relatively uncommon, with most bearers opting for 'McClain' instead. The name has not been strongly associated with any particular state, indicating a scattered geographic presence across the country.
McClain is a variant spelling of the surname MacLean, derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Eathain, meaning 'son of the servant of Saint John'. The name was historically used as a surname in Scotland and Ireland, and its adoption as a given name is a modern trend, particularly in the United States. The spelling 'Mcclain' (with a lowercase 'c') is a less common variant.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mac
Sibling names for Mcclain
Names that share Mcclain's style, for a brother or sister.
