Kei
Kei was the #6,143 boys' name in the US in 2025 (14 babies), and #5,137 in England & Wales.
Kei as a boy’s name
- US
- England & Wales
- Canada
Show the numbers
| Year | US | England & Wales | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,143 (14) | #5,137 (3) | — |
| 2024 | #4,571 (22) | #5,120 (3) | — |
| 2023 | #4,112 (26) | #4,108 (4) | — |
| 2022 | #5,445 (17) | — | — |
| 2021 | #5,776 (15) | #3,990 (4) | — |
| 2020 | #5,041 (18) | — | — |
| 2019 | #4,480 (22) | #4,702 (3) | — |
| 2018 | #4,094 (25) | — | — |
| 2017 | #4,105 (25) | #3,996 (4) | — |
| 2016 | #3,596 (30) | #3,478 (5) | #2,718 (5) |
| 2015 | #3,365 (33) | — | — |
| 2014 | #4,014 (25) | — | — |
| 2013 | #4,804 (19) | — | — |
| 2012 | #5,482 (16) | — | — |
| 2011 | #7,009 (11) | #4,647 (3) | — |
Kei as a girl’s name
- US
- England & Wales
Show the numbers
| Year | US | England & Wales |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | #12,197 (7) | — |
| 2019 | #15,539 (5) | — |
| 2018 | #13,793 (6) | — |
| 2015 | #13,006 (7) | — |
| 2014 | #16,513 (5) | — |
| 2012 | #16,869 (5) | — |
| 2011 | #13,347 (7) | — |
| 2010 | #13,448 (7) | — |
| 2008 | #17,504 (5) | — |
| 2006 | #15,152 (6) | — |
| 2001 | #11,020 (8) | — |
| 2000 | #15,031 (5) | — |
| 1999 | #11,385 (7) | #3,900 (3) |
| 1997 | #13,724 (5) | — |
| 1994 | #7,097 (12) | — |
The tide so far
- Peaked in the US in 2015 at #3,365.
- Falling over the last five years.
- First recorded in the US in 1920.
- In 2023, 21% of US babies named Kei were girls.
How common is it?
about 1 in 130,000 baby boys in the published US list for 2025.
In a group of 1,000 children born that year, you would expect to meet fewer than 1. How we work this out.
How common, country by country
| Where | Sex | Latest year | Share | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 130,000 | rare |
| England & Wales | Boys | 2025 | about 1 in 91,000 | rare |
Next year
On its recent trend, Kei is likely to keep rising in the US in 2026: about 1 in 93,000 baby boys. Likely range 1 in 51,000 to 1 in 170,000.
Estimate, not an official figure. How we estimate.
Spellings
Official statistics count each spelling separately, so we show them side by side rather than adding them up.
| Spelling | Where | Sex | Latest rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kei | Canada | Boys | — | too few |
| Kei | England & Wales | Girls | — | too few |
| Kei | England & Wales | Boys | #5,137 | 3 |
| Kei | Northern Ireland | Boys | — | too few |
| Kei | US | Girls | — | too few |
| Kei | US | Boys | #6,143 | 14 |