Baby Name of the Day: Macklin

The baby name Macklin combines surname trends with an easy built-in nickname, too.

Thanks to Maria for suggesting our Baby Name of the Day.

WHAT DOES THE NAME MACKLIN MEAN?

The baby name Macklin looks like it might be an invented first name.

But it turns out that’s Macklin is just a respelling of Irish surnames like McGlynn or Scottish choices like McLean.

After all, it’s just the tiniest of shifts from McGlynn to McKlynn to Macklin. And McLean is already subject to variations including Maclaine, McLaine, and more. Is Macklin – or Maclin, even – that different?

In terms of meaning, that leads to two options:

• The Irish McGlynn ultimately comes from Flann, meaning red. That makes it a cousin to Flannery and Flynn.
• On the Scottish side, McLean comes from a phrase meaning “son of the devotee of Saint John.” Legend has it that the founder of Clan McLean was a famous warrior called Gillean of the Battleaxe. The letters “ean” hint at the connection to John. Speaking of John, Die Hard hero John McClane also wears a version of the surname.

JACK AND MACK

The surname Macklin might exist, but it appeals as a baby’s name now thanks to a different phenomenon: the rise of Jack and Mack. (And Jax and Mac.)

Jack ranks among the most enduring of choices. It’s casual meets classic, cool and traditional. It’s the given name of choice for fictional action heroes, familiar from fairy tales to Pirates of the Caribbean. United States president JFK was born John, but called Jack. London, Kerouac, Nicholson – dozens of famous men through the years have answered to Jack.

Mack’s story is a little different. It has two distinct origins:

• A short form of Magnus. A Late Latin name, Magnus means “great.” An early medieval saint went on mission to Germany, spreading the name across Europe. Charlemagne – Charles the Great, or Carolus Magnus – became Holy Roman Emperor in the year 800. By the 11th century, a Norwegian king reigned as Magnus I. By the Middle Ages, the name was heard in Ireland and Scotland, too. 
• Or simply derived from any surname beginning with Mac or Mc. 

It also entered usage as a slang, the equivalent of buddy or fella. “Mack the Knife” became a hit for Bobby Darin in 1959, but has a far longer history. The 1990s gave us Mack Daddy and “The Return of the Mack.”

It’s a pop culture-soaked choice, but the popularity of Jack makes Mack a baby’s name, too.

MACKLIN CELEBRINI

None of this explains the rise of Macklin, though.

Enter Macklin Celebrini.

Because inspiration for this name’s rise is almost certainly down to the young ice hockey star. 

Born in 2006 in North Vancouver, the Canadian athlete was the first round draft pick in 2024. He now plays for the San Jose Sharks. Celebrini won the Hobey Baker Award in college and was named a finalist for NHL rookie of the year. 

His name fit in perfectly with popular choices of our time. 

HOW POPULAR IS THE NAME MACKLIN?

With Jack at peak popularity across English-speaking countries, it’s not a surprise that Mack has risen in use, too. 

Parents embraced Jackson as a formal name for Jack. Similarly, Macklin might seem like the perfect name to shorten to Mack.

While Macklin has never ranked in the US Top 1000, it appears in the Social Security Administration data.

• Macklin debuted as a boy’s name back in 1922.
• It also crosses gender lines, first appearing as a girl’s name in 2017. That’s probably thanks to the long-time popularity of choices like Mackenzie and Mckenna. 
• Macklyn and Maclin are also used in small numbers, with -lyn more popular for girls and -lin favored for boys.

As of 2024, 180 boys were named Macklin. 

FUTURE FAVORITE

It’s easy to imagine the baby name Macklin continuing to rise in use. It hits the sweet spot between traditional surnames and invented choices. If Jaxon and Kaden can be among the most popular names in the 2000s, then Macklin fits nicely, too.

A few dozen more goals from the rising NHL star, and this name could catch on. 

What do you think of the baby name Macklin?