Why are there so many names that start with "Mac" (Macbeth, Macduff) in shakespearean literature?

by superchuckinator

I'm reading Macbeth right now and it struck me as odd. Was that a popular naming convention back then?

oliversen

Well, Macbeth takes place in Scotland. The prefix "Mac" in Scottish names means "son of"; for example, MacDonald means "son of Donald." It's the same how "Johnson" means "son of John."