Mackenzie..Taylor

[name]Hi[/name] :slight_smile:
I’ve been so curious about this for a while from watching American shows (I’m from [name]Ireland[/name]). . .could any of you give me some kind of history of how it became fashionable to use names like [name]Mackenzie[/name] or [name]Taylor[/name] (and there are others I just can’t think of them right now) as a feminine name?
To me, it was so strange when I first heard [name]Mackenzie[/name] (this one still really throws me I confess). It’s the real name of the actress who plays [name]Ruthie[/name] on 7th [name]Heaven[/name]. I thought- whoa!! but that maybe it was like a one off “unique” name. It does seem to be used often enough in [name]America[/name] though.
To me, they are always surnames. Although I should take into account American parents mixed heritage and I guess wanting to pass down their respective family surnames from the family tree.
However, would it not be more logical to use these names on a boy rather than a girl? They just sound so non- feminine to me!
Sorry to offend anyone because I adore reading and thinking about names…just wondering if anyone knows when the name [name]Mackenzie[/name] first became used as a girl’s name? Like what makes this particular name stand out to any of you who love the name? And why pick that one, over say “Lopez” or “[name]Byrne[/name]” or “[name]Hogan[/name]”
Thank you nameberryites

Oh, just wanted to add while I’m here… I’m from [name]Ireland[/name] and can speak Irish (Gaelic) fluently, so if anyone has any Irish name questions feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to advise! :slight_smile:
I did note that there were some strange names I’ve never heard of on the Nameberry Irish name section (I even showed the list to my colleagues in work and they were like…“huh??”).
I may not have a diploma in names but I’m something of an amateur expert because I just love names like all you guys!

Honestly, I don’t totally understand it either. Using surnames for first names is a pretty big trend right now, more with boys but for girls as well. [name]Mackenzie[/name] is a nice sounding word, I think, and it seems to fit with other popular names like all the [name]Mackayla[/name]/[name]Mackenna[/name]/[name]Kayla[/name]/[name]Kylee[/name]/[name]Kyra[/name] etc. type names. [name]Mackenzie[/name] is also Irish, which is a popular trend too. But why [name]Mackenzie[/name] and not MacIntyre or something? I don’t know. There is a [name]Mackenzie[/name] (sp?) river in Oregon not too far from where I live, that makes me like it a little.

One possible reason is that [name]Mackenzie[/name] has a Z and [name]Taylor[/name] has a Y in the middle, both of which are also popular right now. [name]Taylor[/name] is very similar to the popular [name]Tyler[/name]. But you bring up a great question, why these names and not other surnames? Now I want to know too! Sorry I couldn’t be of more help!

In the South it is common for girls to be named family surnames, usually in the middle name spot, but occasionally for girls. [name]Say[/name], for example, a couple has only girls. When one of their daughters has children, she might want to keep her maiden name “alive” and choose to do so by using that name for a child’s first. Other people hear the name and and like it. Pretty much anything that ends in a -y is interpreted as feminine here.

Personally, I love surname names that are used for family connections. I’m not so much of a fan if you use a non-family surname.

Thanks for the replies. I’m so with you on this point- I also think it’s a really cute thing to keep a family name going especially if it’s on the maternal side and would otherwise die out as the generations go on. It’s just so so weird to take a surname from a family lineage which may have nothing to do with you genetically or even for a concrete reason and use it as a first name on your sweet newborn girl. It’s like denying your own heritage bypassing some other great potential names (and possibly really unusual & unique choices).
Anyway, if we all had the same taste in life, nameberry wouldn’t exist at all right?

Does that include names like [name]Henry[/name]? It’s probably more accurate to say that a “y” ending makes it more likely to sound feminine (but there’s still plenty of y-ending names that are more popular or only ranking for boys).

I for the life of me cant explain the current [name]Mackenzie[/name] phenomenon. It would be one thing if it had family meaning but most people use it because it is trendy. It has to be my least favorite girls name, even my boyfriend has voiced how much he dislikes the name and that rarely happens. However, I guess it does fit in with the current trends. [name]Ive[/name] met Makennas and Makinleys also.

I don’t like the fashion of giving girls boyish names like [name]MacKenzie[/name] which I think is a great name for a boy!

I am so over [name]Taylor[/name] I cannot for the life of me understand why this name took off and when people spell it as [name]Tayla[/name] it makes me feel like screaming. If they liked [name]Taylor[/name] why not choose a great girl’s name like [name]Tahlia[/name] which has a similar sound but is all girl and class.

I do however like the idea of having a family name as a middle name eg if your maiden name was [name]Smith[/name] and your married name [name]Carter[/name] then it gives the child the option of using as a surname [name]Smith[/name] [name]Carter[/name], [name]Smith[/name] or [name]Carter[/name] on their own.

Idk, I think its more of a southern thing. Also maybe a presidential name thing as well. [name]Mackenzie[/name], [name]Kennedy[/name], [name]Taylor[/name], [name]Tyler[/name], [name]Clinton[/name], [name]Roosevelt[/name], [name]Lincoln[/name], and [name]Carter[/name] are all from American presidents adn names used for baby girls and boys alike. I wonder if we will see some Obamas running around in the future?!?