McKinley is a name of American origin, deriving from the Scottish surname McKinlay or McKinely, which is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic MacGille Eathain. This surname means "son of Gille Eathain," with Gille Eathain being a personal name composed of the elements gille meaning "servant" and Eathan meaning "from the river Aithne." Therefore, McKinley can be interpreted as "servant of the people from the river Aithne."
The name McKinley gained prominence in American history with the 25th President of the United States, William McKinley. Born on January 29, 1843, in Niles, Ohio, he served two terms in office from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. His presidency was marked by significant events such as the Spanish-American War and the annexation of Hawaii.
Prior to his political career, McKinley worked as a lawyer and held various elected offices before becoming Governor of Ohio in 1892. After winning the Republican nomination for president in 1896, he defeated Democratic candidate William Jennings Bryan in one of the closest elections in American history.
Despite its historical association with the American presidency, McKinley remains relatively uncommon as a given name. It has been used more frequently as a surname throughout history, with notable figures such as Robert McKinley (a Scottish-Canadian politician) and John McKinley (a Confederate general during the American Civil War).
The name Mckinley has seen a varied history of popularity over the past century and a half in the United States. From its first recorded appearance in 1890 with just seven births, the name experienced a rapid increase in popularity, peaking in 1920 with 148 births.
During the early 1900s, Mckinley was consistently among the top 500 names for newborn boys. However, by the mid-1960s, its popularity had significantly declined, dropping out of the top 1000 names in 1970 with only 33 births.
Despite its decline, Mckinley managed to maintain some level of popularity throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Between 1980 and 2000, the name averaged around 65 births per year, showing a small resurgence in popularity.
However, since the turn of the millennium, Mckinley has seen another significant decline. In recent years, its popularity has reached an all-time low, with only 45 births recorded in 2023.
While once a popular and prominent name, Mckinley's popularity has waned over time. Despite this, it remains a unique and historic name with a fascinating story behind its statistical trends.