Holding steady.
Popularity of Key since 1914
Babies named Key per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1993, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Key's real moment was 1914.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 0 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0 | 0 |
| 1930s | 0 | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 | 5 |
| 1950s | 0 | 5 |
| 1960s | 0 | 12 |
| 1970s | 5 | 19 |
| 1980s | 0 | 16 |
| 1990s | 5 | 52 |
| 2000s | 0 | 17 |
| 2010s | 0 | 15 |
| 2020s | 0 | 15 |
Meaning & origin
Key is a concise and uncommon given name that first appeared in U.S. records in 1914, a year that also marks its peak usage with 5 recorded boys. The name has never entered mainstream popularity; its trajectory has remained stable but rare. While its origin is uncertain, it may be a variant of Keye or derive from an English surname. As a short, single-syllable name, Key shares a style with other minimal choices like Ray and Jay, though it remains far less common. No modern ranking data exists, and its current one-in-N standing cannot be calculated due to extremely low usage. The name has no top-state association, reflecting its scattered, infrequent use over the past century.
Key is a rare name that may derive from the Old English surname Cy, itself a short form of names like Cyneheard meaning 'royal' and 'hardy'. Alternatively, it could be a variant of Keye, a medieval given name of uncertain origin. The name has never been consistently popular in the U.S., with its peak year in 1914 when it was recorded for 5 boys.
Nicknames & variants
Variants: Keye
Sibling names for Key
Names that share Key's style, for a brother or sister.
