Keith
Keith is a masculine given name of Gaelic origin. It means "wood" or "from the battleground" and shares the same derivation as Clan Keith. The surname derives from a toponym, Keith Marischal in East Lothian, possibly containing the Brittonic element *cet "woods, forest." Keith was the 298th most common name given to newborn boys in the United States in 2007.
Meaning & Origin of Keith
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Keith is a masculine given name of Gaelic origin. It means "wood" or "from the battleground" and shares the same derivation as Clan Keith. The surname derives from a toponym, Keith Marischal in East Lothian, possibly containing the Brittonic element *cet "woods, forest." Keith was the 298th most common name given to newborn boys in the United States in 2007.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Keith
Keith first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1888, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1957, when 12,437 Keiths were born — ranking #36 that year. As of 2026, Keith ranks #820 for baby boys with 307 births, falling sharply (-34%). In total, more than 438K Keiths have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Keith
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Keith Abbis (born 1932), English footballer
- Keith Ablow (born 1961), American author and TV personality
- Keith Abney II (born 2005), American football player
- Keith Ackerman (born 1946), American bishop
- Keith Acton (born 1958), Canadian ice hockey player
- Keith Adams (American football) (born 1979), American football player
- Keith Adams (cricketer) (1932–2018), English cricketer
- Keith Adams (filmmaker) (1926–2012), Australian adventurer and filmmaker
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Keith
Phonetically similar names — useful when Keith 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 Keith
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About the name Keith
Keith is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1888 and has accumulated 438K births in the dataset. Keith's peak popularity came in 1957 when it ranked #32. Use the chart and map above to compare Keith's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1957 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.