McKenna is a name of Irish origin that means "son of the handsome one". It is derived from the Irish name "Maolmhichil", which consists of the elements "maol" meaning "bare-headed" or "devoted to God", and "Micheál" meaning "Michael". McKenna is traditionally a boy's name, but it has also been used as a girl's name in recent years.
The name McKenna has a long history in Ireland. It was first recorded there in the 12th century, when it was borne by an Irish prince named Maolmhichil O'Cahan. The O'Cahans were a powerful dynasty who ruled over the region of Cenel nEogain in County Derry.
McKenna is not particularly common as a given name, but it has been popular as a surname for centuries. According to some sources, the surname McKenna is one of the most common surnames in Ireland today. There are also many variations of the name, such as MacKenna, McKinney, and Kinney.
In pop culture, there have been several notable people named McKenna over the years. These include American actor Christopher McKenna, Australian cricketer John McKenna, and Scottish footballer Michael McKenna.
The name Mckena has been given to a total of 411 babies born in the United States between 1990 and 2019, according to the statistics provided.
The popularity of the name Mckena varied over time. In the early years, there were fewer than 10 births per year, with only 6 births in 1990 and 5 births in 1991. However, beginning in 1995, the number of births began to increase significantly, reaching a peak of 26 births in both 1996 and 2007.
The highest year for Mckena births was 1995 with 21 babies being named Mckena. This popularity continued throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, with at least 18 births per year between 1998 and 2004.
However, starting in 2005, there was a gradual decline in the number of babies named Mckena. Between 2005 and 2016, the annual number of Mckena births ranged from a high of 26 in 2007 to a low of 5 in both 2014 and 2015.
Despite this decline, there has been some recent resurgence in popularity for the name Mckena. In both 2016 and 2017, there were 9 and 11 births respectively, indicating that while the name may not be as popular as it once was, it is still being chosen by parents.
Overall, these statistics demonstrate that while the name Mckena has seen fluctuations in popularity over time, it remains a recognizable and used name for babies born in the United States.