Makenna means son of the handsome one in Irish Gaelic — the same McKenna heritage with the Mac dropped and an A added. This Anglicised form strips away the surname prefix entirely, creating something that reads more like a given name than a clan identifier. American Girl's McKenna doll (2012) boosted this whole name family's visibility.
Irish Gaelic Mac Cionaodha→McKenna→Anglicised Makenna
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English / Gaelic roots
Makenna is an Anglicised form of McKenna/Mckenna, from the Irish Gaelic Mac Cionaodha. The Ma- opening and -a ending create a softer, more overtly feminine impression than the Mc- prefix forms. American Girl's McKenna Brooks doll (2012) boosted the entire McKenna/Makenna name family. The name has maintained a steady US chart presence.
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First recorded
Earliest known use: Modern Anglicised variant of the Irish McKenna.
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Today
Makenna remains a beloved choice, ranking #381 in the US. 33,243 babies have been named Makenna since 1982.
◈ Sources: Behind the Name, SSA data
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How popular is Makenna?
2005peak year
Makenna has been losing ground. Once far more common, it has been declining steadily in recent years. It currently ranks around #381, with about 858 babies named Makenna each year. In 2005, 1,619 babies received the name (ranked #213). Total registrations across all years since 1880: roughly 33,243.
Year-by-year registrations1880–2024 · U.S. Social Security data
Makenna's Life Path 4 is the builder's number — building warmth. People named Makenna tend to be warm, practical, and gifted at building strong relationships.
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