# Etymology of making an adjective into a "Mc" name?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-making-an-adjective-into-a-mc-name/526542
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [January 26, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-making-an-adjective-into-a-mc-name/526542 "2010-01-26T18:40:48Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-making-an-adjective-into-a-mc-name/526542/1 "2010-01-26T18:40:48Z")

</div>

I’m putting this here because I’m pretty sure it came from a TV show. Anyone know where creating a “Mc” name from an adjective came from, e.g. Cranky McCrankerson? Just wondering…

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-making-an-adjective-into-a-mc-name/526542/2 "2010-01-26T18:47:06Z")

</div>

Clearly it ultimately comes from the common Scottish surnames like McDonald, which is basically the equivalent of the English Donaldson.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-making-an-adjective-into-a-mc-name/526542/3 "2010-01-26T18:49:25Z")

</div>

[Here’s on old](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=321405) discussion on it. Don’t think anything ever got resolved, but one of the early uses was in the W.C. Fields movie “The Bank Dick,” which had a characer Loudmouth McNasty.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/etymology-of-making-an-adjective-into-a-mc-name/526542/4 "2010-01-26T19:01:00Z")

</div>

> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#):
>
> [Here’s on old](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=321405) discussion on it.

Thanks. The search-foo is strong in you!