Keith Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
The name Keith has its roots in Scottish Gaelic, meaning 'wood' or 'forest'. It evolved from the surname associated with a place in Scotland and became popular in the 19th century. The name conveys traits of strength and reliability and has no biblical relevance.
The name Keith is most popular in District of Columbia, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the Generation X (Gen X) generation in the Northeast region. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is declining in usage, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Keith has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, falling for male in South, stalled for female in South, falling for male in West, stalled for female in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for female in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for female in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West, stalled for female in West. Across generations, 'Keith' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 177th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 122nd out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 42nd out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 41st out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 74th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 260th out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 530th out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 3504th out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 2850th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 1868th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 1839th out of 19264 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 3535th out of 27321 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 19262nd out of 35406 names. Discover how the name 'Keith' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Keith"
Pronunciation
/kiːθ/
Origin
Scottish Gaelic
Etymology
The name Keith is derived from the Scottish Gaelic name 'Ceiteach', which translates to 'wood' or 'forest'. It was originally a surname used to denote someone from a place named Keith in Scotland.
Meaning
Wood, forest
Language Evolution
Ceiteach (Scottish Gaelic), Keith (Modern English)
Historical Usage
The name gained popularity in the 19th century, particularly in Scotland, and has since spread to other English-speaking countries.
Variants & Derivatives
Keath, Keth
Modern Popularity & Image
Currently, Keith is viewed as a classic yet accessible name, often associated with strong, dependable characteristics.
Famous People
Keith Richards - Musician, Keith Urban - Singer, Keith Olbermann - Journalist
Explore More Keith Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Keith"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Keith"
"Keith" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 177th of 7545 | 12,142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 122nd of 6773 | 28,120 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 42nd of 7552 | 165,292 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 41st of 10718 | 135,180 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 74th of 16616 | 69,682 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 260th of 24088 | 20,495 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 530th of 23106 | 6,567 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 3504th of 9107 | 121 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 2850th of 9204 | 181 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 1868th of 12526 | 621 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 1839th of 19264 | 796 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Girl | 3535th of 27321 | 448 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Girl | 19262nd of 35406 | 44 |
Regional Popularity of "Keith" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
7.77% 110th/1416 |
19.80% 273rd/1379 |
18.34% 434th/2366 |
7.44% 85th/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
4.98% 77th/1546 |
8.93% 139th/1556 |
10.92% 257th/2353 |
5.30% 82nd/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
1.75% 39th/2227 |
1.77% 43rd/2430 |
2.00% 57th/2853 |
1.77% 49th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
1.46% 43rd/2937 |
0.95% 33rd/3483 |
1.14% 40th/3518 |
1.51% 61st/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
2.04% 75th/3685 |
1.34% 60th/4475 |
1.56% 81st/5194 |
1.90% 120th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
5.43% 249th/4582 |
3.89% 201st/5164 |
3.35% 245th/7313 |
4.70% 351st/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
11.90% 474th/3984 |
11.48% 515th/4487 |
7.27% 496th/6822 |
10.82% 679th/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Keith" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - | - | - |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - | - | - |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
85.77% 1910th/2227 |
65.76% 1598th/2430 |
95.37% 2721st/2853 |
94.59% 2625th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
67.62% 1986th/2937 |
54.67% 1904th/3483 |
70.01% 2463rd/3518 |
64.61% 2613th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
88.39% 3257th/3685 |
82.53% 3693rd/4475 |
100.00% 5194th/5194 |
77.38% 4888th/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Keith"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Keith" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.