Keiya
A gender-neutral Japanese name meaning "blessed child".
Name Census estimates that about 39 living Americans carry the first name Keiya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Keiya today is around 42 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keiya births was 1974 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keiya. 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 Keiya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
39
~ 1 in 8,788,573 Americans
Peak year
1974
7 babies that year
Average age
42
years old
2010 SSA rank
#15,993
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Keiya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keiya from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 24 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keiya 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 Keiya 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 Keiya
The name Keiya is believed to have originated from Japanese culture, likely during the Heian period (794-1185 CE). It is a feminine name derived from the Japanese word "kei," meaning "respect" or "reverence," combined with the suffix "ya," which is often used in Japanese names to signify a feminine or graceful quality.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Keiya can be found in the classic Japanese literature work, "The Tale of Genji," written by Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century. In this renowned novel, Keiya was the name of a lesser character, a lady-in-waiting at the Imperial Court.
Throughout Japanese history, the name Keiya has been associated with individuals of noble or respected backgrounds. One notable figure was Keiya Ogasawara, a 16th-century Japanese noblewoman and poet who lived during the Sengoku period (1467-1615 CE). Her poetic works were included in several imperial anthologies, reflecting her literary talents and esteemed status.
In the 17th century, Keiya Fujiwara was a prominent courtier and scholar who served under the Tokugawa Shogunate. She was renowned for her expertise in classical Japanese literature and played a significant role in promoting the study and preservation of traditional arts and culture.
Moving into the modern era, Keiya Nakama was a Japanese ceramist and Living National Treasure who lived from 1920 to 2008. Her intricate and masterful pottery works were highly acclaimed, and she dedicated her life to preserving the traditional techniques of Japanese ceramic art.
Another notable individual with the name Keiya was Keiya Arimura, a renowned Japanese actress born in 1987. She rose to fame for her roles in various films and television series, showcasing her talent and versatility as a performer on the international stage.
While the name Keiya may have originated in Japan, its meaning and significance have resonated across cultures, embodying a sense of respect, grace, and nobility. The individuals mentioned above represent just a few examples of the name's rich history and the diverse contributions of those who have carried it throughout the centuries.
People
Keiya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keiya 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
Keiya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keiya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 39 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keiya 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 8,788,573 US residents.
Is Keiya a common name?
We classify Keiya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 50.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 42 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keiya most popular?
The single biggest year for Keiya was 1974, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keiya is about 42 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Keiya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keiya 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.