name
Common
McCarthy
muh-KAH-thee
McCarthy (name) means an Irish surname meaning "son of the loving one.". Example: “McCarthy is one of the most common surnames in Ireland.”
name
1
An Irish surname meaning "son of the loving one."
"McCarthy is one of the most common surnames in Ireland."
"The McCarthys say they did not wish to publicize the incident, but the Catholic newspaper in Maine heard about it and wrote an article."
— Laurie Goodstein, Miracle in Massachusetts Qualified Stein for Sainthood (1998)
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Word forms
- Plural
- McCarthys, McCarthies
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
_____ is one of the most common surnames in Ireland.
Etymology
Borrowed from Irish Mac Carthaigh (literally “son of Carthach”).
Rhymes for McCarthy
See all rhymes for McCarthy →Frequently asked questions
What does “McCarthy” mean?
The word “McCarthy” means an Irish surname meaning "son of the loving one.".
How do you pronounce “McCarthy”?
“McCarthy” is pronounced muh-KAH-thee (/məˈkɑɹ.θi/ in IPA).
How do you use “McCarthy” in a sentence?
Here is “McCarthy” used in a sentence: “McCarthy is one of the most common surnames in Ireland.”
What part of speech is “McCarthy”?
“McCarthy” is a name.
Is “McCarthy” a common word?
“McCarthy” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is McCarthy spelled with a capital C in the middle?
Yes, standard spelling capitalizes the letter following "Mc," giving McCarthy rather than Mccarthy. This follows the usual convention for Irish and Scottish surnames formed with the "Mc" prefix.
Is McCarthy an Irish or English surname?
McCarthy is an Irish surname, formed using the Gaelic patronymic prefix "Mc" meaning "son of." It is historically strongly linked to Ireland, particularly the region of County Cork.
