Originating from Scotland, the name McKenly is of Scottish and Irish Gaelic origin. It's derived from the surname 'Mac Eanlaigh', which means 'son of the fair-haired one'. The name has a distinctively Celtic ring to it, reflecting its ancient roots. It gained popularity during the mid-20th century in the United States, often used as a given name rather than a surname.
The name Mckenly was quite popular in 2005 with 5 babies born that year. However, it hasn't seen any further growth in popularity since then as there have been no additional births recorded under this name afterwards.