Mckinley
Girl name · #715 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Mckinley? In official American birth records, Mckinley has been tracked continuously since 1978, giving it 47 years of documented American history.
Mckinley ranks #715 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 393 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #379, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,580 girls born in 2025 was named Mckinley.
The 47-year story
Mckinley first appears in the Social Security records in 1978, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2014, when 862 girls were named Mckinley — good for #379 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Mckinley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Mckinley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Mckinley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Mckinley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Mckinley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Mckinley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Mckinley is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Mckinley is most common in ID (1.4 per 1,000), OR (0.8 per 1,000), MN (0.7 per 1,000), TN (0.6 per 1,000), NC (0.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Mckinley is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Mckinley
Statistically, parents drawn to Mckinley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Charley, Brinley, Kinley, Kensley, and Ainsley.
CharleyBrinleyKinleyKensleyAinsleyBrynleyBerkleyBentley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mckinley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 393 | #712 |
| 2024 | 381 | #740 |
| 2023 | 461 | #635 |
| 2022 | 453 | #651 |
| 2021 | 563 | #543 |
| 2020 | 536 | #554 |
| 2019 | 615 | #512 |
| 2018 | 718 | #447 |
| 2017 | 730 | #437 |
| 2016 | 759 | #428 |
| 2015 | 860 | #379 |
| 2014 | 862 | #379 |
| 2013 | 792 | #391 |
| 2012 | 682 | #457 |
| 2011 | 675 | #450 |
| 2010 | 526 | #556 |
| 2009 | 376 | #755 |
| 2008 | 309 | #898 |
| 2007 | 259 | #1019 |
| 2006 | 274 | #952 |
| 2005 | 227 | #1050 |
| 2004 | 219 | #1058 |
| 2003 | 184 | #1171 |
| 2002 | 169 | #1203 |
| 2001 | 172 | #1187 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Mckinley?
In official American birth records, the name Mckinley first appeared in 1978 (over 47 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 47 years.
Is Mckinley a popular girl name?
Mckinley ranked #715 among girls in 2025 with 393 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #379.
When was the name Mckinley most popular?
Mckinley peaked in 2014, when 862 American girls received the name (ranked #379 that year). Since 2014 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mckinley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,580 newborn American girls was named Mckinley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.