Makinley
Girl name · #5049 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Makinley? In official American birth records, Makinley has been tracked continuously since 1996, giving it 29 years of documented American history.
Makinley ranks #5049 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 26 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1964, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 69,231 girls born in 2025 was named Makinley.
The 29-year story
Makinley first appears in the Social Security records in 1996, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2013, when 174 girls were named Makinley — good for #1338 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 Makinley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Makinley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Makinley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Makinley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Makinley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Makinley is most common
State-level data for Makinley is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Makinley
Statistically, parents drawn to Makinley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Paizley, Brynnley, Ailey, Aisley, and Emsley.
PaizleyBrynnleyAileyAisleyEmsleyMelannyBerkeleyTenley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Makinley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #4987 |
| 2024 | 36 | #4039 |
| 2023 | 35 | #4114 |
| 2022 | 45 | #3470 |
| 2021 | 63 | #2715 |
| 2020 | 56 | #2890 |
| 2019 | 61 | #2752 |
| 2018 | 78 | #2334 |
| 2017 | 84 | #2236 |
| 2016 | 95 | #2068 |
| 2015 | 102 | #1964 |
| 2014 | 132 | #1624 |
| 2013 | 174 | #1338 |
| 2012 | 142 | #1549 |
| 2011 | 133 | #1619 |
| 2010 | 121 | #1720 |
| 2009 | 71 | #2592 |
| 2008 | 69 | #2663 |
| 2007 | 61 | #2930 |
| 2006 | 40 | #3795 |
| 2005 | 37 | #3876 |
| 2004 | 44 | #3391 |
| 2003 | 38 | #3655 |
| 2002 | 22 | #5254 |
| 2001 | 27 | #4447 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Makinley?
In official American birth records, the name Makinley first appeared in 1996 (over 29 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 29 years.
Is Makinley a popular girl name?
Makinley ranked #5049 among girls in 2025 with 26 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1964.
When was the name Makinley most popular?
Makinley peaked in 2013, when 174 American girls received the name (ranked #1338 that year). Since 2013 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Makinley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 69,231 newborn American girls was named Makinley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.