Keishi
A masculine Japanese given name meaning "respect" or "humble".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Keishi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Keishi today is around 31 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keishi births was 1993 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keishi. 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 Keishi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1993
5 babies that year
Average age
31
years old
1996 SSA rank
#9,798
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Keishi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Keishi 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 Keishi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Keishi
The name Keishi has its origins in Japan and is derived from the Japanese words "kei" meaning "blessing" or "respect" and "shi" meaning "samurai" or "warrior." It is a masculine name that emerged during the Kamakura period (1185-1333) in Japanese history, which was marked by the rise of the samurai warrior class.
Keishi was a popular name among the noble samurai families of the time, as it embodied the ideals of honor, bravery, and loyalty that were highly valued in the warrior culture. The name may have been inspired by the legendary samurai warriors of the era, who were revered for their skill in battle and unwavering devotion to their lords.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Keishi can be found in the "Azuma Kagami," a historical chronicle of the Kamakura period. This text mentions a samurai named Keishi Kawazu, who fought valiantly in the Genpei War, a conflict between the Minamoto and Taira clans in the late 12th century.
Throughout Japanese history, several notable individuals have borne the name Keishi. One such figure was Keishi Nozawa (1560-1619), a renowned samurai and military strategist who served under the powerful Tokugawa shogunate. He played a crucial role in the Siege of Osaka Castle, a pivotal event in the unification of Japan under the Tokugawa rule.
Another prominent Keishi was Keishi Norinaga (1670-1751), a celebrated scholar and philosopher during the Edo period. He was known for his contributions to the study of Japanese literature and his interpretations of ancient texts, including the "Kojiki," one of the oldest chronicles of Japanese mythology and history.
In the realm of arts and culture, Keishi Fujiwara (1899-1983) was a renowned Japanese actor and director who left an indelible mark on the world of Kabuki theater. His performances were acclaimed for their emotional depth and mastery of traditional techniques.
More recently, Keishi Nagatsuka (1924-2007) was a revered Japanese calligrapher and artist, known for his innovative approaches to traditional calligraphic styles. His works were widely exhibited and celebrated both in Japan and internationally.
While the name Keishi may have its roots in the samurai culture of ancient Japan, it has endured through the centuries and continues to be used today, carrying with it a sense of honor, respect, and historical significance.
People
Keishi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keishi 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
Keishi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keishi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keishi 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Keishi a common name?
We classify Keishi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keishi most popular?
The single biggest year for Keishi was 1993, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keishi is about 31 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 Keishi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keishi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keishi 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 Keishi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keishi 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 Keishi 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 many people are named Keishi?
Want to know how many people have the name Keishi? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.