Boy · #638 in 2026

Keanu

Name: Popularity of the name Keanu in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Keanu, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Keanu Charles Reeves is a Canadian actor and musician. The recipient of numerous accolades in a career on screen spanning four decades, he is known for his leading roles in action films, his amiable public image, and his philanthropic efforts.

Current Rank

#638

Peak Rank

#514 (2020)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

+15%

1991

First Year

2022

Last Year

1995

Peak Year

#3492

Peak Rank

225

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Keanu

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Keanu

Keanu first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1990, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2020, when 556 Keanus were born — ranking #514 that year. As of 2026, Keanu ranks #638 for baby boys with 444 births, rising sharply (+15% over the past five years). In total, more than 9K Keanus have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Keanu

Phonetically similar names — useful when Keanu is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Kiani
Keanna
Kiana
Kianna
Qian
Kanu
Canu
Kiona
Guiana
Quanah
Canoe
Cano

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Keanu

What does the name Keanu mean?

How popular is Keanu in 2026?

In 2026, Keanu ranks #638 among boys' names in the U.S., with 444 babies given the name that year.

When was Keanu most popular?

Keanu reached its peak popularity in 2020, ranking #514 that year with 556 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Keanu most popular?

Keanu has historically been most popular in Hawaii, U.S. Territories, Alaska. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Keanu.

Is Keanu a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Keanu is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Keanu?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Keanu include Maxie, Jewell, Casimer. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Keanu

Keanu is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1990 and has accumulated 9K births in the dataset. Keanu's peak popularity came in 2020 when it ranked #514. Use the chart and map above to compare Keanu's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.