Keigen
A Japanese name meaning "enlightened" or "one who has attained wisdom".
Name Census estimates that about 87 living Americans carry the first name Keigen. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Keigen today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keigen births was 2004 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keigen. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Keigen. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
87
~ 1 in 3,939,705 Americans
Peak year
2004
11 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2017 SSA rank
#9,297
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Keigen: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keigen from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 56 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keigen by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Keigen during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Keigen
The name Keigen originates from Japanese culture and has its roots in the ancient Sino-Japanese vocabulary. The name is derived from the Japanese words "kei" meaning "respect" or "reverence" and "gen" meaning "source" or "origin." Together, the name can be interpreted as "reverent origin" or "respectful source."
In Japanese tradition, names often carry profound meanings and are carefully chosen to reflect desired qualities or aspirations for the child. The name Keigen may have been bestowed upon individuals born into families with a strong emphasis on reverence, wisdom, and cultural heritage.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Keigen can be found in the historical records of the Heian period (794-1185 CE) in Japan. During this time, the name was associated with scholars, poets, and individuals of intellectual pursuits, reflecting the respect and reverence for knowledge and learning.
Throughout Japanese history, several notable figures have borne the name Keigen. One such individual was Keigen Dogen (1200-1253), a renowned Zen Buddhist monk and philosopher who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the Soto school of Zen Buddhism in Japan. His teachings and writings, such as the "Shobogenzo," have had a lasting impact on Japanese culture and philosophy.
Another prominent figure was Keigen Kawaji (1690-1774), a Japanese samurai and daimyo (feudal lord) who served the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period. He was renowned for his military prowess and his commitment to upholding the values of honor and loyalty associated with the samurai code.
In the realm of literature, Keigen Matsuo (1899-1965) was a celebrated Japanese author and poet who made significant contributions to the development of modern Japanese literature. His works often explored themes of human nature, social commentary, and the complexities of life in contemporary Japan.
The name Keigen has also been associated with individuals in the field of art and culture. Keigen Sugimura (1925-2012) was a renowned Japanese ceramist and Living National Treasure of Japan, known for his mastery of the traditional Kutani pottery style and his efforts in preserving and promoting Japanese ceramic art.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Keigen throughout Japanese history, each leaving their mark in various fields and contributing to the rich cultural tapestry of Japan.
People
Keigen + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keigen as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Keigen: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keigen?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 87 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keigen going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 3,939,705 US residents.
Is Keigen a common name?
We classify Keigen as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 88 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keigen most popular?
The single biggest year for Keigen was 2004, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keigen is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Keigen in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keigen a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keigen in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Keigen still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keigen in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Keigen can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Keigen?
See how many Americans are named Keigen on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.