Boy · #12,551 in 2026

Keyo

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

The Elgeyo are an ethnic group who are part of the larger Kalenjin ethnic group of Nilotic origin. They live near Eldoret, Kenya, in the highlands of the former Keiyo District, now part of the larger Elgeyo Marakwet County. The Elgeyo originally settled at the foothills of the Elgeyo escarpment, in the area between Kerio river to the east and the escarpment to the west.

Current Rank

#12,551

Peak Rank

#6,523 (1985)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1985

First Year

2008

Last Year

1985

Peak Year

#6523

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Keyo

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

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

Etymology

The names Keiyo and Elgeyo have been used interchangeably. The former name is disputed as a corruption of the latter, which was coined by the Uasin Gishu Maasai , who were the neighbors of the Keiyo in the mid-19th century on the western side of the expansive Uasin Gishu plains.

Origin & history

Like the rest of the Kalenjin, the Keiyo originated in an area to the north known as Emetab Burgei, which means the hot country. The people are said to have traveled southwards, passing Mount Elgon or Tulwetab Kony in Kalenjin. The Sebeii settled around the slopes of the mountain while others travelled on in search of better land. The Keiyo and Marakwet settled in the present Uasin Gishu plateau, Kerio Valley , and Cherangani Hills . The arrival of the warring Uasin Gishu Maasai in the present day Uasin Gishu plateau forced the Elgeyo to move away into the present day Kerio Valley during the e

The Story of Keyo

Keyo first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1985, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1985, when 5 Keyos were born — ranking #6,523 that year. As of 2026, Keyo ranks #12,551 for baby boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 15 Keyos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Notable people named Keyo

A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.

Timothy Kiptoo Kochilinyang , Procurement Officer, National Irrigation Authority , NIA Ministry of Water Irrigation and Sanitation, MoWIS, (2015 to Date)
Gideon Kimaiyo , Current member of parliament, Keiyo South (2022–2032)
Nicholas Biwott , businessman, politician and philanthropist
Henry Rotich , former cabinet secretary of the National Treasury, Head of Macroeconomics at National Treasury, deputy director of Economic Affairs.
Jackson Kiptanui , Chair of KVDA and former MP Keiyo South
Esther Koimett Director General Public Investment and Portfolio Management at Nation treasury of Kenya.
Chris Kiptoo Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry
Joseph Boinnet , former Inspector General of Police of the Republic of Kenya

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

Names that sound like Keyo

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

Chio
Kyo
Kio
Keo
Keogh
Keough
Kayo
Caio
Kao
Kuo
Cayo
Khia

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Keyo

What does the name Keyo mean?

How popular is Keyo in 2026?

In 2026, Keyo ranks #12,551 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Keyo most popular?

Keyo reached its peak popularity in 1985, ranking #6,523 that year with 5 babies given the name.

Is Keyo a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Keyo?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Keyo include Ariell, Brandenn, Camacho. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Keyo

Keyo is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1985 and has accumulated 15 births in the dataset. Keyo's peak popularity came in 1985 when it ranked #6,523. Use the chart and map above to compare Keyo'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.