Mckay is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic 'MacAoidh', which means 'son of Aodh'. The name Aodh itself translates to 'fire' or 'noble', suggesting that Mckay may have been a fiery or noble warrior. It has been traditionally associated with the clan MacKay, who were prominent in the Highlands during medieval times. Over time, the name has evolved and gained popularity beyond its Scottish roots, appearing in various spellings such as McKay, Mackay, and even Makai.
The name Mckay experienced its peak popularity with 21 births in 1999 and again had a high of 21 births in 2023. The lowest number of births recorded was 5, which occurred in multiple years between 1982 and 2018, as well as in 2020.