Keyan
An Arabic name meaning "living one" or "essence of life".
Name Census estimates that about 1,336 living Americans carry the first name Keyan. It is a predominantly male name (99.5% of registrations). The average person named Keyan today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keyan births was 2007 (63 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keyan. 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 256,553 Americans
Peak year
2007
63 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,639
Tracked since 1972
Gender
Gender distribution for Keyan
Out of the 1,356 babies given the name Keyan since 1880, 99.5% were registered as male. The name sits firmly on the male side of the spectrum, with only a handful of female registrations across the entire dataset.
Keyan as a male name
- Ranked #3,639 in 2024
- 31 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2007 (63 births)
Keyan as a female name
- Ranked #7,679 in 1976
- 7 female births in 1976
- Peak: 1976 (7 births)
Popularity
Keyan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keyan from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 435 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Keyan remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keyan 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 Keyan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Keyans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Keyan, while Virginia, Pennsylvania, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 15 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Keyan
The name Keyan is believed to have its origins in the Persian language, derived from the Old Persian word "kayān," which referred to a noble and powerful dynasty that ruled ancient Persia from the 6th to the 4th century BCE. The Kayanian dynasty was renowned for its military prowess and cultural achievements, and the name Keyan was associated with strength, courage, and leadership.
While the exact etymology of the name is uncertain, some scholars suggest that it may be related to the Persian word "kay," meaning king or ruler. This connection could indicate that the name Keyan was initially bestowed upon individuals of royal or noble lineage within the Kayanian dynasty.
Historical references to the name Keyan can be found in ancient Persian literature, such as the epic poem "Shahnameh" (Book of Kings) by the famous poet Ferdowsi. In this literary masterpiece, Keyan is depicted as a legendary figure, a valiant warrior, and a wise ruler who played a significant role in the mythology and folklore of ancient Persia.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Keyan dates back to the reign of the Achaemenid Empire in ancient Persia, around the 6th century BCE. During this period, Keyan was a common name among members of the nobility and upper classes, reflecting the cultural and historical significance of the Kayanian dynasty.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Keyan, contributing to its enduring legacy:
1. Keyan Ardeshir (570 CE - 628 CE), a prominent Persian scholar and philosopher known for his work on ethics and moral philosophy.
2. Keyan Ferdowsi (940 CE - 1020 CE), a celebrated Persian poet and the author of the epic "Shahnameh," which is considered a literary masterpiece in Persian literature.
3. Keyan Rumi (1207 CE - 1273 CE), a renowned Persian poet, jurist, and Sufi mystic, whose works have profoundly influenced Islamic spirituality and literature.
4. Keyan Khajeh Nizam al-Mulk (1018 CE - 1092 CE), a renowned Persian vizier and scholar who served as the prime minister of the Seljuk Empire and played a crucial role in the administration and cultural development of the region.
5. Keyan Mazdak (470 CE - 528 CE), a Persian philosopher and religious reformer who advocated for a classless society and the abolition of private property, challenging the existing social and economic structures of his time.
These individuals, spanning various eras and fields, have contributed to the rich cultural heritage and intellectual traditions of Persia, solidifying the name Keyan as a symbol of wisdom, leadership, and artistic expression within the Persian cultural sphere.
People
Keyan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keyan 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
Keyan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keyan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,336 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keyan 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 256,553 US residents.
Is Keyan a common name?
We classify Keyan 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, 1,356 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keyan most popular?
The single biggest year for Keyan was 2007, when 63 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keyan is about 19 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Keyan a male name?
Yes, 99.5% of people registered as Keyan 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.
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.