Kei
A unisex given name from Japanese.
Every Kei since 1920 — 837 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kei
Kei is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,284 in 2025 with 14 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1920, 837 American babies have been named Kei — about 78% boys and 22% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2015, when 40 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kei stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kei year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 14 | #6,284 |
| 2024 | — | — | 22 | #4,636 |
| 2023 | 7 | #12,804 | 26 | #4,168 |
| 2022 | — | — | 17 | #5,541 |
| 2021 | — | — | 15 | #5,906 |
| 2020 | — | — | 18 | #5,144 |
| 2019 | 5 | #16,785 | 22 | #4,563 |
| 2018 | 6 | #14,746 | 25 | #4,155 |
| 2017 | — | — | 25 | #4,180 |
| 2016 | — | — | 30 | #3,647 |
| 2015 | 7 | #13,743 | 33 | #3,402 |
| 2014 | 5 | #17,885 | 25 | #4,077 |
| 2013 | — | — | 19 | #4,894 |
| 2012 | 5 | #18,228 | 16 | #5,607 |
| 2011 | 7 | #14,070 | 11 | #7,266 |
| 2010 | 7 | #14,244 | 6 | #11,510 |
| 2009 | — | — | 14 | #6,282 |
| 2008 | 5 | #19,026 | 17 | #5,374 |
| 2007 | — | — | 13 | #6,457 |
| 2006 | 6 | #16,145 | 12 | #6,693 |
| 2005 | — | — | 12 | #6,431 |
| 2004 | — | — | 18 | #4,695 |
| 2003 | — | — | 13 | #5,725 |
| 2002 | — | — | 11 | #6,321 |
| 2001 | 8 | #11,522 | 14 | #5,287 |
| 2000 | 5 | #16,291 | 15 | #4,923 |
| 1995 | — | — | 10 | #5,718 |
| 1990 | 8 | #9,689 | 11 | #4,847 |
| 1985 | 8 | #7,916 | 7 | #5,464 |
| 1980 | 10 | #6,516 | 8 | #4,738 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | 7 | #3,577 |
| 1920 | — | — | 6 | #4,052 |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kei
- Kei Kumai Film director · 1930–2007
- Kei Nishikori Tennis player · b. 1989
- Kei Mikuriya Soccer player · b. 1977
- Kei Taniguchi Soccer player · b. 1974
- Kei Uemura Soccer player · b. 1981
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kei mean?
A unisex given name from Japanese.
How popular is the name Kei in 2025?
Kei ranked #6,284 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 14 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kei?
837 babies have been named Kei in the United States since 1920, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kei most popular?
Kei peaked in 2015, when 40 newborns received the name.
Is Kei a boy or girl name?
Kei is used for both: about 22% of babies named Kei have been girls and 78% boys.
Is the name Kei rising or falling?
Kei has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Kei?
Well-known people named Kei include Kei Kumai (film director), Kei Nishikori (tennis player), Kei Mikuriya (soccer player).