Keye
A unisex name of unknown origin, possibly a variant of Keith.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Keye. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Keye today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keye births was 1974 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keye. 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 Keye. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1974
5 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1974 SSA rank
#5,633
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Keye: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Keye 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 Keye during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Keye
The name Keye has its origins in the Old English language, derived from the word "ceg," which means "key." It was a popular name among the Anglo-Saxons during the early medieval period, particularly in the regions of England and parts of northern Europe.
One of the earliest known references to the name Keye can be found in the epic poem "Beowulf," which dates back to around the 8th or 9th century. In this work, the character Keye is depicted as a loyal and valiant warrior who fought alongside the legendary hero Beowulf.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Keye remained in use, albeit less commonly than in earlier times. It was occasionally found in historical records and chronicles, often associated with individuals of noble or military backgrounds.
One notable bearer of the name was Keye de Quincy, a 12th-century English nobleman and crusader who participated in the Third Crusade alongside King Richard the Lionheart. He played a significant role in the conquest of Cyprus and the subsequent siege of Acre during the campaign.
Another historical figure with the name Keye was Keye le Mercer, a prominent merchant and alderman in the City of London during the 14th century. He was known for his involvement in the wool trade and his contributions to the city's governance.
In the 15th century, Keye de Vere was a prominent English courtier and diplomat who served under King Edward IV. He was appointed as the Captain of Guisnes Castle and played a crucial role in negotiating treaties with France.
During the Tudor period, Keye Armyn was a respected scholar and theologian who served as the Archdeacon of Taunton in Somerset, England. He was known for his writings on religious subjects and his advocacy for the Protestant Reformation.
While the name Keye has become less common in modern times, it has maintained a connection to its historical roots and associations with valor, nobility, and intellectual pursuits.
People
Keye + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keye 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
Keye: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keye?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keye 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Keye a common name?
We classify Keye as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keye most popular?
The single biggest year for Keye was 1974, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keye is about 48 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 Keye in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keye a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keye 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 Keye still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keye 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 Keye 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 Keye?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.