Kez
A name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from a diminutive form.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Kez. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kez today is around 23 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kez births was 1994 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kez. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Kez with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kez. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1994
5 babies that year
Average age
23
years old
2012 SSA rank
#13,311
Tracked since 1994
Popularity
Kez: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kez from the 1990s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 5 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kez 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 Kez 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 Kez
The name Kez is believed to have its origins in the ancient Middle Eastern region, particularly in the area now known as modern-day Iran. It is thought to be derived from the Persian word "kaz," which roughly translates to "pure" or "precious." This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon children as a way of expressing the parents' hope for their child's purity and value.
One of the earliest known references to the name Kez can be found in the ancient Zoroastrian texts, specifically the Avesta, which dates back to around the 6th century BC. In these texts, the name is mentioned in connection with various rituals and ceremonies, indicating its significance within the Zoroastrian faith.
The first recorded individual to bear the name Kez is believed to be Kez ibn Khurzad, a prominent Persian scholar and astronomer who lived in the 9th century AD. He made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and is credited with several important works on the subject.
Another notable figure with the name Kez was Kez al-Dīn, a 13th-century Persian poet and mystic. His poetic works were widely celebrated and continue to be studied and appreciated by scholars of Persian literature to this day.
In the realm of religion, Kez al-Mulk was a 12th-century Sufi saint and spiritual leader who played a pivotal role in the spread of Sufism throughout the Middle East. His teachings and writings have had a lasting impact on Islamic mysticism.
Moving into the 15th century, Kez Beg was a powerful military commander and politician who served as the governor of several provinces in the Ottoman Empire. He was known for his strategic acumen and his loyalty to the Ottoman Sultan.
Finally, in more recent times, Kez Kermani was a prominent Iranian painter and calligrapher who lived in the 19th century. His works are celebrated for their intricate detail and their representation of traditional Persian art forms.
Throughout history, the name Kez has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, ranging from scholars and poets to military leaders and artists. While its origins may be rooted in ancient Persia, the name has transcended cultural and geographic boundaries, leaving an indelible mark on various fields of human endeavor.
People
Kez + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kez 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
Kez: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kez?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kez 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 Kez a common name?
We classify Kez 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 Kez most popular?
The single biggest year for Kez was 1994, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kez is about 23 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 Kez in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kez a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kez 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 Kez still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kez 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 Kez 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 Americans are named Kez?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.