Mackenzie

Derived from the Gaelic patronymic MacCoinnich, the surname translates to son of Coinneach, a traditional Scottish personal name. For generations it functioned as a clan identifier and an occasional masculine given name across Scotland. American birth records first registered it in 1973, spurred into feminine use when teenager Mackenzie Phillips appeared in the film American Graffiti.

A Mackenzie tends to be pictured wearing a whistle around her neck and carrying a three-ring binder to a weekend volleyball tournament. The name reads as collegiate and athletic, arriving in volume right as plastic water bottles became essential gear. Over half of all living bearers belong to Generation Z, with the average holder standing at twenty-one years old. The name peaked in 2001, leaving the cohort precisely old enough to enter the workforce while still being asked for two forms of identification.