It was originally named not after him but after an American shipping captain from Detroit who was also named Mackay and whose wife had given US $ 3,000 to establish this hospital in honor of her recently departed husband.
不過，取名「偕醫館」紀念的不是自己，而是美國底特律的一位馬偕船長。馬偕船長的夫人捐贈美金三千元給馬偕博士蓋醫館，以紀念她過世不久的先生。