Meaning: Its source is Kenneth, a Scots Gaelic name meaning "Fire-born."

This name is often spelled MacKenzie or Mac Kenzie.

Languages: This boy's name is used in English and Scots Gaelic.

Nicknames: Mac

Alternative Spellings: Mckenzie

Popularity: The name Mackenzie ranked 820th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics.

Narrative: Mackenzie originated as a surname literally meaning ''son of Kenneth.''

Kenneth is an example of two ancient names converging into a single modern form. Kenneth has its origins in both the Irish Gaelic Cinaed, meaning ''fire-born,'' and Cainnech, another Irish Gaelic name meaning ''good-looking.''

Scots Gaels are descendants of the Irish, though the movement of Gaelic people across the North Channel occurred so long ago, the two peoples have developed distinct cultures. This explains how Kenneth, the descendant of Irish Gaelic names, and Mackenzie, the surname derived from it, came to be primarily identified with Scotland.

Meaning: Its source is Cinead, a Gaelic name meaning "Fire-born."

This name is sometimes written MacKenzie.

Alternative Spellings: Makensie, Makenzie and Mckenzie

Popularity: The name Mackenzie ranked 43rd in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics and 1658th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.

Though this name appears on the 1990 U.S. Census lists, it is used by only a small percentage of the general population.

Narrative: The name's development was also influenced by Cainnech, meaning ''good-looking.''