Keirsten
A feminine variant of the name Kirsten, of Scandinavian origin meaning "follower of Christ".
Name Census estimates that about 1,328 living Americans carry the first name Keirsten. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Keirsten today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keirsten births was 2005 (66 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keirsten. 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.
People living today
1.3K
~ 1 in 258,098 Americans
Peak year
2005
66 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2020 SSA rank
#9,234
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Keirsten: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keirsten from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 524 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keirsten 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 Keirsten during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Keirstens live
The SSA's state-level files cover 11 states and territories. Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas recorded the most babies named Keirsten, while Virginia, Tennessee, Indiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 19 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Keirsten
Keirsten is a feminine given name that originated in the English language. It is a variation of the name Kirstin, which is derived from the Scottish name Kirsty. The name Kirsty itself is a diminutive form of the name Christina, which has its roots in the Greek name Christos, meaning "anointed one" or "Christ."
The earliest known use of the name Keirsten can be traced back to the late 20th century. It is believed to have emerged as a creative spelling variation of the more traditional names Kirsten and Kristin. While the name does not have a significant historical background, it has gained popularity in recent decades, particularly in the United States and other English-speaking countries.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keirsten is in the United States. Keirsten Walters, an American television journalist and news anchor, was born in 1973. She has worked for various news networks, including CNN and Fox News.
Another notable figure named Keirsten is Keirsten Sires, an American actress and model. She was born in 1988 and has appeared in various television shows and films, including "The Mentalist" and "Desperate Housewives."
Keirsten Sires, a Canadian professional basketball player, was born in 1989. She played in the WNBA for teams such as the Phoenix Mercury and the New York Liberty, and also represented Canada in international competitions.
Keirsten Jager is an American diver who competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She won a silver medal in the synchronized 3-meter springboard event.
Keirsten Marie Ayres is an American singer-songwriter and actress, known for her work in the pop-rock genre. She was born in 1989 and has released several albums and EPs throughout her career.
It is worth noting that while the name Keirsten has gained popularity in recent times, its origins and historical roots are relatively modern compared to many other given names. However, its connection to the name Christina and its Greek roots add a layer of significance to this contemporary name.
People
Keirsten + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keirsten 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
Keirsten: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keirsten?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,328 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keirsten 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 258,098 US residents.
Is Keirsten a common name?
We classify Keirsten as "Rare". It ranks above 91.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,370 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keirsten most popular?
The single biggest year for Keirsten was 2005, when 66 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keirsten is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Keirsten a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keirsten in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.