The word "McAvoy" is a Scottish surname that is pronounced as "mə-ˈkæ-vɔɪ." The first syllable "mə" is pronounced with a schwa sound, while the second syllable "ˈkæ" has a short "a" sound. The third syllable "vɔɪ" is pronounced with a "v" sound, followed by an "oy" diphthong. The spelling of "McAvoy" reflects the Scottish origin of the name, where the "Mc" prefix indicates "son of" and "Avoy" is derived from the Gaelic word "O'Maolmhuaigh," meaning "descendant of the devotee of St. Mothelug."
The word "McAvoy" is of Scottish origin, specifically a Scottish surname. It is derived from the Gaelic name "Mac Ábhaidh" or "Mac A'Bhuidhe", which means "son of the yellow-haired one". In Gaelic, "mac" means "son of", and "abhaidh" or "a'bhuaidh" refers to someone with yellow or blond hair. Over time, the surname "Mac Ábhaidh" evolved into "McAvoy" in English.