Fun Facts About the Name Makenna
- More than 33 thousand babies named Makenna: U.S. records list 33,738 babies given the name Makenna from 1880 through 2025. Even 8 boys received the name Makenna - about 1 boy for every 4,216 girls.
What Does the Name Makenna Mean?
Makenna is a feminine English given name, usually treated as a variant spelling of McKenna. McKenna is an Anglicized Irish surname from Gaelic Mac Cionaoith, literally 'son of Cionaodh.' The personal name Cionaodh is of uncertain meaning. It is often analyzed as cion ('affection, esteem, respect') plus Aodh ('fire'), which could suggest a sense such as 'fire of affection' or 'beloved fire.' A common customary gloss is 'born of fire,' but that is an interpretation rather than a certain literal translation. Makenna is not a traditional Irish feminine form; it is a modern English respelling of the surname used as a first name.
Makenna Name History & Origins
The source name behind Makenna is the Irish surname McKenna, from Gaelic Mac Cionaoith ('son of Cionaodh'). In the Middle Ages, Mac Cionaoith was the name of an Irish clan in Ulster; the surname is especially associated with Counties Monaghan and Tyrone. English documents rendered the Gaelic name in various ways, and McKenna became the standard Anglicized spelling. As a given name, McKenna began to be used in the late 20th century, when Irish and Scottish surnames became fashionable first names in the United States and elsewhere. Makenna is a later respelling that makes the name look more feminine and phonetic to English readers. It is not an old Gaelic name in its own right, and it has no separate origin from the McKenna surname. The Hawaiian place name and given name Makena is a different name, despite the similar sound.
How Popular is the Name Makenna?
Makenna recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2005. Its best rank was #201 in 2010.
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 | #593 | 495 | 0.0308% |
| 2024 | #525 | 587 | 0.0364% |
| 2023 | #475 | 648 | 0.0404% |
| 2022 | #398 | 787 | 0.0480% |
| 2021 | #369 | 843 | 0.0514% |
| 2020 | #402 | 775 | 0.0480% |
| 2019 | #376 | 833 | 0.0497% |
| 2018 | #329 | 989 | 0.0582% |
| 2017 | #333 | 977 | 0.0566% |
| 2016 | #318 | 1,024 | 0.0578% |
| 2015 | #289 | 1,116 | 0.0625% |
| 2014 | #285 | 1,148 | 0.0643% |
| 2013 | #248 | 1,293 | 0.0737% |
| 2012 | #229 | 1,386 | 0.0787% |
| 2011 | #219 | 1,451 | 0.0825% |
| 2010 | #201 | 1,543 | 0.0868% |
| 2009 | #243 | 1,369 | 0.0745% |
| 2008 | #230 | 1,474 | 0.0780% |
| 2007 | #244 | 1,459 | 0.0759% |
| 2006 | #232 | 1,492 | 0.0785% |
| 2005 | #213 | 1,619 | 0.0876% |
| 2004 | #227 | 1,464 | 0.0797% |
| 2003 | #225 | 1,451 | 0.0794% |
| 2002 | #242 | 1,323 | 0.0736% |
| 2001 | #263 | 1,217 | 0.0676% |
| 2000 | #277 | 1,163 | 0.0640% |
| 1999 | #280 | 1,114 | 0.0628% |
| 1998 | #422 | 627 | 0.0355% |
| 1997 | #429 | 600 | 0.0345% |
| 1996 | #531 | 445 | 0.0254% |
| 1995 | #683 | 312 | 0.0177% |
| 1994 | #904 | 212 | 0.0119% |
| 1993 | #1,306 | 130 | 0.0072% |
| 1992 | #1,483 | 107 | 0.0058% |
| 1991 | #1,794 | 80 | 0.0043% |
| 1990 | #2,993 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1989 | #3,136 | 34 | 0.0018% |
| 1988 | #3,543 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 1987 | #4,212 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #5,349 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1985 | #4,219 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1984 | #8,725 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #6,500 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #7,906 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | #6,887 | 8 | 0.0004% |
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 Makenna 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.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Makenna's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Makenna's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.