Keith

“Wood or forest, or from the battleground” — Scottish Gaelic origin

Boy's name · #801 in the US (2025) · Retro

Keith's best rank, #32, came in 1966; it has stepped well back to #801 today. Roughly 438,000 boys have been named Keith since 1888.

Around the world: about 1 in 4,700 boys in Ireland (2025) · about 1 in 4,900 boys in Scotland (2025) · about 1 in 5,300 boys in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 33 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Keiths

Keith Richards — British musician, guitarist of the Rolling Stones
Keith Haring — American artist and social activist (1958-1990)
Keith Jarrett — American jazz/classical pianist and composer (born 1945)
Keith Emerson — British recording artist; keyboard player and composer (1944–2016)
Keith Moon — English rock musician, drummer of The Who (1946–1978)

Among 3,327 notable people named Keith:

Sports figures appear 1.99× more often than among typical names — e.g. Keith Andrews, Irish footballer.

Similar names: Troy · Kipp · Scott · Craig · Corey · Quinn

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.