Keith

Keith - A very unique male name

Keith appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #508. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Keith and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Keith? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Keith. The baby boy name Keith was given to 257 baby boys in 2025, ranking #816 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 5,705 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Keith peaked in popularity 60 years ago in 1966 on position 32.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Keith, 1-5?

Keith is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Keith is currently topping the baby name charts in Missouri at position #477 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,120.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Keith is where you live.

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Keith origin and meaning

Scottish (transferred surname)

From the Scottish surname and place name Keith, from a Brythonic word meaning 'wood, woodland'

Keith is a Scottish place and surname that became a boy's name in the 20th century, part of the wave of Celtic surname names. It peaked in 1957, when it was a top-50 staple, and has been declining for decades since.

Attested etymology

Keith is a 5 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Keith, pop culture references for the name Keith and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Keith

We've found the following names that sound similar to Keith, sorted by popularity.

Kade / Kody / Koda / Kodi / Kit / Kaito / Kieth / Kota / Kodie / Kato /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Keith

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Keith a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Keith?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

KEETH · /kiːθ/

Around the world

• Keith (Scottish) — The place and surname form in Scotland

Famous bearers

• Keith Richards — English guitarist, co-founder of the Rolling Stones (b. 1943) Contemporary
• Keith Urban — New Zealand-Australian country singer (b. 1967) Contemporary
• Keith Haring — American pop artist known for his public murals (1958–1990) Historical

Style

ClassicSurname

Why parents choose it

Parents who choose Keith now are usually honouring family — a strong, plain Scottish name that belonged to their fathers' and grandfathers' generation.

Worth knowing

• It reads as a mid-century name to many ears because of its 1950s peak