Keith
Every Keith since 1888 — 440,123 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Keith
Keith is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #801 in 2025 with 311 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1888, 440,123 American babies have been named Keith. Its peak came in 1957, when 12,483 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Keith stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Keith 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 | — | — | 311 | #801 |
| 2024 | — | — | 337 | #756 |
| 2023 | — | — | 373 | #713 |
| 2022 | — | — | 382 | #694 |
| 2021 | — | — | 470 | #592 |
| 2020 | — | — | 461 | #598 |
| 2019 | — | — | 512 | #550 |
| 2018 | — | — | 571 | #503 |
| 2017 | — | — | 587 | #493 |
| 2016 | — | — | 634 | #485 |
| 2015 | — | — | 729 | #424 |
| 2014 | — | — | 754 | #412 |
| 2013 | — | — | 761 | #393 |
| 2012 | — | — | 842 | #362 |
| 2011 | — | — | 806 | #368 |
| 2010 | — | — | 890 | #346 |
| 2009 | — | — | 967 | #329 |
| 2008 | — | — | 1,061 | #315 |
| 2007 | 8 | #13,306 | 1,158 | #298 |
| 2006 | — | — | 1,250 | #276 |
| 2005 | — | — | 1,165 | #285 |
| 2004 | 8 | #12,190 | 1,315 | #252 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,871 | 1,313 | #251 |
| 2002 | 6 | #14,518 | 1,326 | #248 |
| 2001 | — | — | 1,432 | #237 |
| 2000 | 9 | #10,321 | 1,525 | #222 |
| 1995 | 5 | #14,538 | 2,457 | #142 |
| 1990 | 23 | #4,309 | 4,481 | #80 |
| 1985 | 45 | #2,269 | 5,214 | #64 |
| 1980 | 40 | #2,408 | 5,887 | #56 |
| 1975 | 34 | #2,381 | 6,823 | #49 |
| 1970 | 58 | #1,625 | 9,615 | #38 |
| 1965 | 43 | #1,727 | 10,670 | #35 |
| 1960 | 45 | #1,684 | 12,180 | #35 |
| 1955 | 32 | #1,895 | 10,418 | #39 |
| 1950 | 20 | #2,217 | 4,566 | #78 |
| 1945 | 7 | #3,839 | 2,165 | #108 |
| 1940 | 6 | #4,103 | 1,512 | #125 |
| 1935 | — | — | 1,369 | #125 |
| 1930 | 16 | #2,157 | 1,354 | #130 |
| 1925 | 18 | #2,154 | 1,138 | #146 |
| 1920 | 11 | #3,001 | 803 | #175 |
| 1915 | — | — | 422 | #236 |
| 1910 | — | — | 43 | #411 |
| 1905 | — | — | 35 | #350 |
| 1900 | 5 | #2,075 | 16 | #638 |
| 1895 | — | — | 6 | #1,031 |
| 1890 | — | — | 7 | #848 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Keith
- Keith Richards Musician · b. 1943
- Keith Haring Artist · 1958–1990
- Keith Jarrett Musician · b. 1945
- Keith Emerson Composer · 1944–2016
- Keith O'Brien Religious figure · 1938–2018
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Keith in 2025?
Keith ranked #801 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 311 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Keith?
440,123 babies have been named Keith in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Keith most popular?
Keith peaked in 1957, when 12,483 newborns received the name.
Is Keith a boy or girl name?
Keith is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Keith rising or falling?
Keith is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Keith?
Well-known people named Keith include Keith Richards (musician), Keith Haring (artist), Keith Jarrett (musician).