The spelling of the surname "McLarney" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) phonetic transcription. The first syllable "Mc" is pronounced as /mək/ and represents the Gaelic patronymic prefix that means "son of". The second syllable "Lar" is pronounced as /lɑr/ and is derived from the Gaelic word "lár" which means "middle" or "center". The final syllable "ney" is pronounced as /neɪ/ and represents a typical anglicized spelling of the Irish "ní" which means "daughter of". Therefore, "McLarney" means "son of the middle daughter."