Declining since 1998, #3,167 for girls today.
Popularity of Mckayla since 1979
Babies named Mckayla per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 |
| 1980s | 135 |
| 1990s | 3,944 |
| 2000s | 5,705 |
| 2010s | 2,935 |
| 2020s | 501 |
Meaning & origin
Mckayla first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1979, part of a wave of creative spellings of Michaela that emerged in the late 20th century. It reached its peak popularity in 1998, when it ranked highest among its cohort, but has since been on a steady decline: the Social Security Administration data shows a clear falling trajectory from 1998 through 2025, when it sat at rank 3,167 with a frequency of 1 in 32,145 births. The name was most common in California, one of several states that led the trend for this style. Like similar variants Mikayla and Makayla, Mckayla reflects a broader American preference for phonetically intuitive, personalized spellings of classic names. Despite its recent decline, Mckayla remains a recognizable choice within the family of Michaela-derived names.
Mckayla is a modern American spelling variant of Michaela, the feminine form of Michael, which derives from the Hebrew Mikha'el meaning 'Who is like God?' The spelling with 'Mc' is a stylized adaptation, perhaps influenced by surnames beginning with Mc or Mac, and gained popularity in the United States during the late 20th century alongside similar variants like Mikayla and Makayla.
Where Mckayla is most popular
Births per 100,000 girls by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mckay, Kayla, Mickey
Sibling names for Mckayla
Names that share Mckayla's style, for a brother or sister.
Names like Mckayla
Names whose popularity has moved with Mckayla's over the last 50 years.
