Mckinley
Boy name · #3663 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Mckinley? In official American birth records, Mckinley has been tracked continuously since 1890, giving it 135 years of documented American history.
Mckinley ranks #3663 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 30 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1983, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 60,000 boys born in 2025 was named Mckinley.
Babies named Mckinley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 135-year story
Mckinley first appears in the Social Security records in 1890, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 148 boys were named Mckinley — good for #495 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
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 "very 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
State-level data for Mckinley 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 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, Hartley, Mahlon, Dempsey, and Aubrey.
CharleyHartleyMahlonDempseyAubreyWileyLeeroyMervin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Mckinley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 30 | #3658 |
| 2024 | 24 | #4321 |
| 2023 | 45 | #2805 |
| 2022 | 49 | #2675 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2253 |
| 2020 | 63 | #2190 |
| 2019 | 67 | #2129 |
| 2018 | 52 | #2472 |
| 2017 | 68 | #2049 |
| 2016 | 68 | #2066 |
| 2015 | 73 | #1983 |
| 2014 | 72 | #1979 |
| 2013 | 64 | #2090 |
| 2012 | 84 | #1775 |
| 2011 | 87 | #1703 |
| 2010 | 74 | #1913 |
| 2009 | 77 | #1873 |
| 2008 | 61 | #2186 |
| 2007 | 70 | #1995 |
| 2006 | 79 | #1758 |
| 2005 | 76 | #1742 |
| 2004 | 90 | #1491 |
| 2003 | 77 | #1630 |
| 2002 | 99 | #1332 |
| 2001 | 94 | #1357 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Mckinley?
In official American birth records, the name Mckinley first appeared in 1890 (over 135 years ago), when 7 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Mckinley a popular boy name?
Mckinley ranked #3663 among boys in 2025 with 30 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1983.
When was the name Mckinley most popular?
Mckinley peaked in 1920, when 148 American boys received the name (ranked #495 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Mckinley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 60,000 newborn American boys was named Mckinley. 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.