Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1970

Keir

Meaning dark Gender Unisex · 6% girls Rank 2025 #10,207

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic ciar (“dark”) or Old Norse [Term?].

Rank 2025
#10,207
among boys · ↓3,555 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
7
named Keir
How common
1 in 244,011
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1970
74 babies
All-time total
1,117
#4,965 all-time among boys
First recorded
1963
in Social Security records

Keir popularity over time

1,117 babies have been named Keir since 1963, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.030.0418801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s 6 131 137 14 – #1,176
1970s 48 273 321 32 +134% #1,028
1980s 5 139 144 14 -55% #2,555
1990s 5 171 176 18 +22% #2,662
2000s – 133 133 13 -24% #4,783
2010s – 120 120 12 -10% #4,627
2020s (to 2025) – 86 86 14 +19% #4,938

The story of Keir

Keir is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #10,207 in 2025 with 7 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1963, 1,117 American babies have been named Keir, about 94% boys and 6% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1970, when 74 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Keir stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Keir?

The median living Keir is about 37 years old; half are between 20 and 52. An estimated 1,100 people named Keir are alive in the United States today.

median 37 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Keir year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 7 #10,207
2024 – – 13 #6,652
2023 – – 17 #5,575
2022 – – 20 #4,938
2021 – – 17 #5,457
2020 – – 12 #6,834
2019 – – 12 #6,992
2018 – – 11 #7,388
2017 – – 12 #6,910
2016 – – 5 #13,262
2015 – – 21 #4,627
2014 – – 16 #5,599
2013 – – 15 #5,808
2012 – – 10 #7,855
2011 – – 13 #6,426
2010 – – 5 #13,335
2009 – – 10 #8,014
2008 – – 16 #5,639
2007 – – 7 #10,364
2006 – – 19 #4,783
2005 – – 16 #5,163
2004 – – 12 #6,342
2003 – – 16 #4,933
2002 – – 10 #6,810
2001 – – 12 #5,859
2000 – – 15 #4,924
1995 – – 16 #3,967
1990 – – 25 #2,662
1985 – – 20 #2,555
1980 – – 12 #3,514
1975 – – 20 #2,256
1970 11 #4,897 63 #1,028
1965 – – 6 #3,726
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Keir

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Keir Starmer Keir Starmer Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2024 to 2026 b. 1962 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Keir Gilchrist Keir Gilchrist Canadian actor (born 1992) Contemporary
  3. 3 Keir Dullea Keir Dullea American actor (born 1936) Contemporary
  4. 4 Keir Hardie Keir Hardie Scottish socialist and founder of the British Labour Party (1856–1915) 19th century
  5. 5 Keir O'Donnell Keir O'Donnell Australian actor b. 1978 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Keir, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Keir?

The median living Keir is about 37 years old. Half of all living Keirs are between 20 and 52 years old.

How many people named Keir are alive today?

An estimated 1,100 people named Keir are alive in the United States, based on 1,117 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Keir mean?

Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic ciar (“dark”) or Old Norse [Term?].

How popular is the name Keir in 2025?

Keir ranked #10,207 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 7 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Keir?

1,117 babies have been named Keir in the United States since 1963, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Keir most popular?

Keir peaked in 1970, when 74 newborns received the name.

Is Keir a boy or girl name?

Keir is used for both: about 6% of babies named Keir have been girls and 94% boys.

Is the name Keir rising or falling?

Keir is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Keir?

Well-known people named Keir include Keir Starmer (politician), Keir Gilchrist (actor), Keir Dullea (actor).

Names like Keir

Names that sound and feel close to Keir: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Keir with similar names → More names starting with K →