Girl nameCurrently #525 in the USFalling
Makenna
muh-KEN-uh//məˈkɛnə//
3 syllablesPeak year: 20057 lettersStarts with M
Meaning & origin
Son of the handsome one (variant of Mackenna)
Makenna is a modern American respelling related to the Scottish and Irish surname MacKenna, sharing roots with Mackenzie in a word for 'handsome' or 'fair'. It rose quickly in popularity as a phonetic, softened alternative in the 2000s.
Makenna's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Makenna |
|---|---|
| 1982 | 8 |
| 1983 | 10 |
| 1984 | 7 |
| 1985 | 19 |
| 1986 | 14 |
| 1987 | 20 |
| 1988 | 27 |
| 1989 | 34 |
| 1990 | 38 |
| 1991 | 80 |
| 1992 | 107 |
| 1993 | 130 |
| 1994 | 212 |
| 1995 | 312 |
| 1996 | 453 |
| 1997 | 600 |
| 1998 | 627 |
| 1999 | 1,114 |
| 2000 | 1,163 |
| 2001 | 1,217 |
| 2002 | 1,323 |
| 2003 | 1,451 |
| 2004 | 1,464 |
| 2005 | 1,619 |
| 2006 | 1,492 |
| 2007 | 1,459 |
| 2008 | 1,474 |
| 2009 | 1,369 |
| 2010 | 1,543 |
| 2011 | 1,451 |
| 2012 | 1,386 |
| 2013 | 1,293 |
| 2014 | 1,148 |
| 2015 | 1,116 |
| 2016 | 1,024 |
| 2017 | 977 |
| 2018 | 989 |
| 2019 | 833 |
| 2020 | 775 |
| 2021 | 843 |
| 2022 | 787 |
| 2023 | 648 |
| 2024 | 587 |
Makenna through the decades
- Makenna peaked in 2005, when 1,619 babies were named Makenna in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Makenna has fallen 40% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Makenna currently ranks #525 in the US and is cooling off.
Nicknames
Kenna
Variants & spellings
McKennaMckenna