Kee

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Kee

Pronounced KEE /ˈkiː/High

Meaning: Kee is a single-syllable boy's name whose origin is genuinely uncertain: it may be a clipped surname, an initial-style name, or an Anglicised spelling of a Chinese or Korean family name; no one settled meaning is documented.Low

In 30 seconds: Kee is a rare, one-syllable vintage boy's name of uncertain origin, said 'KEE'.

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowEnglish

MeaningKee is a single-syllable boy's name whose origin is genuinely uncertain: it may be a clipped surname, an initial-style name, or an Anglicised spelling of a Chinese or Korean family name; no one settled meaning is documented.

U.S. rank (2016)#11472 ↘ Falling

2016 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1924

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,406

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kee is a spare, one-sound name that resists a tidy etymology. In early-1900s US records it may stand for a surname carried forward as a first name; in other households it could be an Anglicised Chinese or Korean family name. Rather than force a meaning, it is most honest to flag the origin as uncertain.

It was always rare, edging to a small peak in the mid nineteen-twenties and appearing only thinly thereafter. It reads as an antique curiosity today rather than a revived choice.

Did you know? Because Kee turns up both as an old American surname-name and as an Anglicised East Asian family name, its story likely differs from one family to the next.

Overall data confidence 42%

References — Kee — origin uncertain; surname or Anglicised East Asian name

Variations

KeyKea

Nicknames

—

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kee…

Lee— a like short one-syllable surname-style name

Cree— another spare single-sound vintage name

Moe— the same short feel

Jye— another short pick

Tae— echoes that soft -e sound

Explore names like Kee

By themerare vintage short

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kee mean?

Kee is a short boy's name of uncertain origin, likely a surname or an Anglicised East Asian family name.

How do you pronounce Kee?

It's said KEE /ˈkiː/ — one syllable.

Is Kee a boy or girl name?

Kee is used here as a boy's name.

How popular is Kee?

Kee was always rare and is a genuine early-twentieth-century curiosity.