Fun Facts About the Name Mac
- More than 11 thousand babies named Mac: U.S. records list 11,453 babies given the name Mac from 1880 through 2025. Even 58 girls received the name Mac - about 1 girl for every 196 boys.
What Does the Name Mac Mean?
Mac is an English masculine given name whose established meaning is "son." It comes from Scottish Gaelic mac, "son," a word also found in Irish as mac and in Old Irish as macc. The element is best known as the patronymic prefix in Gaelic surnames: Mac or its shortened spelling Mc is attached to a father's or ancestor's name, as in MacDhòmhnaill, "son of Donald." As a given name, Mac usually functions as a short form of a longer Scottish or Irish name beginning with Mac-, such as Mackenzie or Macaulay, but it can also be used directly from the Gaelic word for "son." The literal sense is familial; later uses as a general nickname or familiar form of address are extensions rather than separate etymologies.
Mac Name History & Origins
The element behind Mac has been used in Gaelic-speaking Scotland and Ireland for centuries as a marker of descent. In medieval and early modern Gaelic naming, a man was often identified by his father's name with mac: Dòmhnall mac Aonghais meant "Donald son of Angus." When patronymics of this kind became fixed hereditary surnames, Mac- and its shortened spelling Mc- became common prefixes in names such as MacDonald, MacKenzie, and MacCarthy. The given name Mac developed from this same naming tradition, usually as a shortened form of a longer Scottish or Irish name beginning with Mac-. It has also been adopted directly as a brief masculine name in English-speaking countries, where the Gaelic word for "son" supplied its meaning. In North American English, mac has separately been used as a generic form of address for a man, especially one whose name is unknown; that usage is related to the name but is not its etymological source.
How Popular is the Name Mac?
Mac recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2022. Its best rank was #308 in 1942.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #16,346 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2023 | #10,816 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #16,764 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #16,584 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #16,882 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #14,870 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #14,788 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1945 | #3,875 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1925 | #4,265 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1918 | #5,285 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #696 | 390 | 0.0228% |
| 2024 | #696 | 387 | 0.0226% |
| 2023 | #656 | 417 | 0.0244% |
| 2022 | #605 | 465 | 0.0267% |
| 2021 | #674 | 400 | 0.0229% |
| 2020 | #934 | 237 | 0.0137% |
| 2019 | #871 | 254 | 0.0142% |
| 2018 | #1,007 | 206 | 0.0113% |
| 2017 | #1,069 | 185 | 0.0100% |
| 2016 | #1,123 | 174 | 0.0092% |
| 2015 | #1,098 | 177 | 0.0092% |
| 2014 | #1,161 | 163 | 0.0085% |
| 2013 | #1,142 | 159 | 0.0084% |
| 2012 | #1,213 | 147 | 0.0078% |
| 2011 | #1,481 | 110 | 0.0058% |
| 2010 | #1,436 | 116 | 0.0060% |
| 2009 | #1,612 | 99 | 0.0050% |
| 2008 | #1,756 | 86 | 0.0042% |
| 2007 | #1,737 | 86 | 0.0041% |
| 2006 | #1,802 | 77 | 0.0037% |
| 2005 | #2,225 | 54 | 0.0027% |
| 2004 | #2,180 | 54 | 0.0027% |
| 2003 | #1,796 | 67 | 0.0034% |
| 2002 | #1,734 | 67 | 0.0035% |
| 2001 | #1,927 | 57 | 0.0029% |
| 2000 | #1,840 | 58 | 0.0030% |
| 1999 | #1,760 | 58 | 0.0030% |
| 1998 | #2,259 | 40 | 0.0021% |
| 1997 | #2,247 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1996 | #2,039 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 1995 | #2,199 | 37 | 0.0019% |
| 1994 | #2,155 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1993 | #2,190 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1992 | #1,970 | 41 | 0.0021% |
| 1991 | #1,853 | 43 | 0.0021% |
| 1990 | #1,719 | 47 | 0.0023% |
| 1989 | #1,979 | 37 | 0.0018% |
| 1988 | #1,692 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 1987 | #1,779 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 1986 | #2,084 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1985 | #1,660 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1984 | #1,546 | 40 | 0.0022% |
| 1983 | #1,992 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1982 | #1,798 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1981 | #1,385 | 47 | 0.0026% |
| 1980 | #1,254 | 55 | 0.0031% |
| 1979 | #1,095 | 67 | 0.0039% |
| 1978 | #1,142 | 60 | 0.0037% |
| 1977 | #1,058 | 67 | 0.0041% |
| 1976 | #882 | 90 | 0.0057% |
| 1975 | #812 | 105 | 0.0067% |
| 1974 | #985 | 70 | 0.0045% |
| 1973 | #1,088 | 56 | 0.0036% |
| 1972 | #1,277 | 43 | 0.0027% |
| 1971 | #1,546 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 1970 | #1,087 | 57 | 0.0031% |
| 1969 | #1,407 | 33 | 0.0018% |
| 1968 | #1,270 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1967 | #1,079 | 47 | 0.0027% |
| 1966 | #1,021 | 51 | 0.0029% |
| 1965 | #863 | 73 | 0.0039% |
| 1964 | #1,156 | 45 | 0.0023% |
| 1963 | #998 | 58 | 0.0029% |
| 1962 | #924 | 68 | 0.0033% |
| 1961 | #974 | 63 | 0.0030% |
| 1960 | #921 | 68 | 0.0032% |
| 1959 | #924 | 69 | 0.0032% |
| 1958 | #814 | 86 | 0.0041% |
| 1957 | #858 | 77 | 0.0036% |
| 1956 | #902 | 69 | 0.0033% |
| 1955 | #761 | 92 | 0.0045% |
| 1954 | #780 | 84 | 0.0041% |
| 1953 | #760 | 88 | 0.0045% |
| 1952 | #647 | 115 | 0.0059% |
| 1951 | #626 | 127 | 0.0067% |
| 1950 | #623 | 122 | 0.0068% |
| 1949 | #670 | 106 | 0.0060% |
| 1948 | #662 | 105 | 0.0060% |
| 1947 | #576 | 138 | 0.0075% |
| 1946 | #523 | 150 | 0.0092% |
| 1945 | #501 | 142 | 0.0106% |
| 1944 | #434 | 197 | 0.0145% |
| 1943 | #397 | 238 | 0.0167% |
| 1942 | #308 | 398 | 0.0288% |
| 1941 | #687 | 80 | 0.0065% |
| 1940 | #713 | 73 | 0.0063% |
| 1939 | #626 | 88 | 0.0080% |
| 1938 | #692 | 77 | 0.0069% |
| 1937 | #727 | 70 | 0.0066% |
| 1936 | #682 | 76 | 0.0073% |
| 1935 | #746 | 68 | 0.0065% |
| 1934 | #654 | 86 | 0.0083% |
| 1933 | #690 | 75 | 0.0076% |
| 1932 | #753 | 70 | 0.0067% |
| 1931 | #715 | 73 | 0.0070% |
| 1930 | #789 | 67 | 0.0061% |
| 1929 | #799 | 66 | 0.0061% |
| 1928 | #920 | 54 | 0.0049% |
| 1927 | #777 | 72 | 0.0064% |
| 1926 | #850 | 61 | 0.0055% |
| 1925 | #756 | 76 | 0.0068% |
| 1924 | #821 | 68 | 0.0060% |
| 1923 | #754 | 76 | 0.0069% |
| 1922 | #888 | 61 | 0.0056% |
| 1921 | #810 | 71 | 0.0064% |
| 1920 | #772 | 74 | 0.0070% |
| 1919 | #727 | 77 | 0.0079% |
| 1918 | #746 | 75 | 0.0074% |
| 1917 | #696 | 76 | 0.0082% |
| 1916 | #851 | 55 | 0.0062% |
| 1915 | #746 | 65 | 0.0077% |
| 1914 | #810 | 43 | 0.0066% |
| 1913 | #826 | 34 | 0.0066% |
| 1912 | #721 | 36 | 0.0084% |
| 1911 | #680 | 22 | 0.0097% |
| 1910 | #772 | 16 | 0.0082% |
| 1909 | #699 | 16 | 0.0098% |
| 1908 | #809 | 12 | 0.0078% |
| 1907 | #527 | 21 | 0.0143% |
| 1906 | #484 | 22 | 0.0165% |
| 1905 | #1,049 | 7 | 0.0053% |
| 1904 | #581 | 16 | 0.0125% |
| 1903 | #1,232 | 5 | 0.0042% |
| 1902 | #898 | 8 | 0.0065% |
| 1901 | #757 | 9 | 0.0085% |
| 1900 | #763 | 12 | 0.0080% |
| 1898 | #1,079 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1897 | #902 | 7 | 0.0062% |
| 1896 | #660 | 12 | 0.0100% |
| 1894 | #1,034 | 6 | 0.0052% |
| 1893 | #1,134 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1892 | #1,032 | 6 | 0.0049% |
| 1891 | #1,063 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1890 | #955 | 6 | 0.0054% |
| 1889 | #1,055 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1888 | #629 | 11 | 0.0091% |
| 1887 | #1,007 | 5 | 0.0049% |
| 1886 | #1,053 | 5 | 0.0045% |
| 1883 | #990 | 5 | 0.0048% |
| 1881 | #752 | 7 | 0.0069% |
| 1880 | #784 | 7 | 0.0063% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Mac Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You have psychic power. You can carry on for others with joy. You have a receptive nature and may bear burdens for others. You are pragmatic, thorough, strong-willed, practical and stubborn at times. You are hard working, often martyr to duty. You like home and security above all. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Position and social status is very important for you and you are always looking for way to improve your position in society. You have power and ability to chose your own destiny and achieve anything you want in life. You can expand in any direction according to your will and the set of values. You have passion for justice and belong to the position of authority. You have an inherent courage and endurance to accomplish "The Impossible Dream". With the power comes responsibility. You hold keys to the material world, but with this gift comes high spiritual responsibility to be fair and true to others. You are philosophical and mature, determined and intense with a desire to endure, often religious.
✦ Mac's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Mac's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.