McKay as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of McKay

What is the meaning of the name McKay ?

The baby name McKay is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced IPA: /məkˈeɪ/ — respelling: muh-KAY.

McKay is Scottish Gaelic in Origin.

McKay is a Scottish surname-turned-given name from the Gaelic Mac Aoidh, meaning “son of Aodh,” with Aodh denoting “fire” or “fiery one.” The name is closely linked to Clan Mackay of the far north Highlands and appears in records across Scotland and later Ulster. Through Anglicization, the underlying Aodh was sometimes rendered as Hugh in English contexts, though the two names are not etymologically related.

As a first name, McKay gained traction in North America in the late 20th century, used for both boys and girls and aligning with the trend of adopting Celtic surnames as given names. Usage among Latter-day Saints has been notably influenced by the legacy of church leader David O. McKay. Common variants and spellings include MacKay, Mackay, and Mckay; cognate surnames from the same Gaelic root include McKee and McCoy. McKay conveys a crisp, modern style with the elemental sense of “son of fire.”