Kei
Kei is a Japanese male's personal name; used increasingly as a female's personal name, as a shortening of Keiko.
Meaning & Origin of Kei
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kei is a Japanese male's personal name; used increasingly as a female's personal name, as a shortening of Keiko.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kei
As a girl name
Kei first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1978, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1994, when 12 Keis were born — ranking #7,097 that year. As of 2026, Kei ranks #12,180 for girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 186 Keis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Kei first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1920, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2015, when 33 Keis were born — ranking #3,365 that year. As of 2026, Kei ranks #4,261 for boys with 25 births, gradually rising (+9%). In total, more than 686 Keis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1920s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Kei
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Kei ( ケイ ; born 1957) , Japanese singer
- Kei Akagi ( 赤城 恵 ; born 1953) , Japanese-American jazz pianist
- Kei Aoyama ( 青山 景 ; 1979–2011) , Japanese manga artist
- Kei Aran ( 安蘭 けい ; born 1970) , Japanese actress
- Kei Chinen ( 知念 慶 ; born 1995) , Japanese footballer
- Kei Cozzolino (born 1987), Japanese-born Italian racing driver
- Kei Enue ( えぬえ けい ) , Japanese manga artist
- Kei Fujiwara ( 不二稿 京 ; born 1957) , Japanese actress, cinematographer, editor, writer and film director
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kei
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kei is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kei
What does the name Kei mean?
How popular is Kei in 2026?
When was Kei most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kei most popular?
Is Kei a unisex name?
What names go well with Kei?
About the name Kei
Kei is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1920 and has accumulated 686 births in the dataset. Kei's peak popularity came in 2015 when it ranked #3,365. Use the chart and map above to compare Kei's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2015 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.