I would like to know what people think of my daughter's name: McKenzie Leigh.?

Question

I picked the name McKenzie, because it is my maiden name, and there is noone left to carry on the name.

I picked the name McKenzie, because it is my maiden name, and there is noone left to carry on the name.
McKenzie Leigh is first and middle. I didn't put her last name.

Answer 1

I love that name!

I always, for some reason think that Leigh is pronounced Lay, but I know it's pronounced Lee.

Very cute though!!

Answer 2

I usually don't like the fad of using surnames as girls' first names UNLESS it is to capture a family name--just as you have done. Did you know that it used to be a tradition in "finer" Southern families to give the first-born girl her mother's maiden name? Thus when you saw a girl named Carson McCullers (a famous writer from the South), you knew she was descended from both the Carson and the McCullers families. I hope you remember to tell your daughter this is a nearly forgotten American tradition. I think she will like that. Good for you, for honoring your own family in her name!

Here's what one source says about Leigh: "The boy's and girl's name Leigh is a variant of Farley, Finlay, Hadley and Lee." In other words, in the first three cases it is the clipped off ending of surnames.

Leigh became a surname when plain old "John" the Farmer (or some other blue-collar occupation) needed a surname, and so the priest took the word for a local landmark to use as a surname. It this case, that landmark was a meadow, for that's what "leigh" or "ley" means as the ending of many, many surnames (Brimley or Brimleigh was a meadow flood plain that flowed over its brim from time to time). So if you don't mind that Leigh is an old-time word for meadow and was chiefly used until the last century as a surname, then you're fine. Another time (another baby?) you might reconsider giving a girl two surnames in a row (three, if you count her last name). This time, you got lucky!

Answer 3

I think it's fairly safe to assume the general public will find it a fine, even predictable choice. After all, the most common spelling (Mackenzie) is nearly in the top 50, with two others (your McKenzie and Makenzie) in the top 200. And that's leaving out other common misspellings -- MaKinsey, McKinzee, MyKenzie, Mikenzie, etc. -- and equally-trendy Mc- names, such as McKenna and the unfortunately-common Michaela misspellings (McKayla, Mackayla, MiKaela, etc.).

Pretty run-of-the-mill popular/trendy name fodder, in other words.

Edit: Just saw your additional details, and I do love that the name has special meaning in your case. Definitely the exception to the rule. And again, very few will dislike the choice, given its popularity.

Answer 4

McKenzie sounds more like a last name to me.

Answer 5

leigh is a tight last name its common mckenzie is coommon i c thoses name around the time i dont think thers even a joke about it

Answer 6

I think its a great name. Especially if you came up with it if you like it go for it who cares what anyone thinks. Just as long as its not an inappropriate name or a really fowl name. Just think about your kid on how that name is going to affect them in school. Thats really an important factor in this because kids tend to tease each other. Just think about what your going to put your kid through. But McKenzie sounds great go with that! :)

Answer 7

thats a cool name,but why does everybody have the middle name leigh?

Answer 8

its good but mankenzie leigh sounds more like a first ans middle name but hey whatever works for you is what counts.
congradulations on your kid.

Answer 9

Two ugly overused names...Do her a favor change it to something unusual & classy like Indiana, Jasmin,Venice, Rose, Eve, Naida, or Lila.

Answer 10

I don't like McKenzie...sounds like a cockatoo's name.