Kei
How to say it: KAY · /ˈkeɪ/
Japanese name meaning 'respect, blessing' by kanji - masculine usage, also middle name.
Kei was the 1,137th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 14 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2010s, its births are down about 38% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,466 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,137 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 14 |
| Share of births | 1 in 22,102 |
| Peak decade | 2010s |
| Change over 10 years | −38% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,466 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,436 among boys’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Kei peaked in the 2010s.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Kei is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Japanese.
In France: #2,436 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Kei
- Kei Nishikori (born 1989)Japanese tennis player
- Kei Mikuriya (born 1977)Japanese association football player
- Kei Yamaguchi (born 1983)Japanese association football player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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