An Irish surname meaning 'son of Kenneth' or 'fire-born.' Also used as a given name.
From Irish Gaelic Mac Cionaodha, meaning 'son of Cionaodh' (Kenneth). Cionaodh derives from Celtic elements meaning 'fire' and 'born,' suggesting someone born of fire or with fiery qualities.
McKenna exemplifies how Irish surnames beginning with 'Mac' or 'Mc' literally mean 'son of' - it's a patronymic system that creates instant genealogical information. The 'fire-born' meaning connects to ancient Celtic beliefs about spiritual qualities being literally 'born' into people.
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