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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Kei

Kei

β™‚ Boy

Pronounced KAY /ˈkeΙͺ/Medium

Meaning: From Japanese kei β€” 'blessing, fortunate; wise; respect' (meaning depends on kanji)Medium

In 30 seconds: Crisp and meaningful: Kei is Japanese for 'blessing, wise, respect'. Minimal, elegant, and warm.
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Origin MediumJapanese
MeaningFrom Japanese kei β€” 'blessing, fortunate; wise; respect' (meaning depends on kanji)
U.S. rank (2025)#6284 β†˜ Falling
2025 U.S. births14 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2015
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 651

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 201519202025

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

Kei comes from Japanese kei β€” variously 'blessing, fortunate; wise; respect; celebration' (the meaning depends on the kanji, which we note). A crisp, elegant minimal name, used for both sexes, here for boys.

In the U.S. it appears in Japanese families. Rare, blessing-or-wisdom at the root, and elegant.

Did you know? Kei means 'blessing, fortunate', 'wise', or 'respect' in Japanese, depending on the kanji β€” a crisp, elegant minimal name, used for both sexes.
Overall data confidence 75%
Japanese references β€” Kei β€” kanji-dependent

Variations

KayKeigo

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kei…

Renβ€” a fellow minimal Japanese name
Reiβ€” a companion short Japanese name
Kaiβ€” another short Japanese name
Raiβ€” echoes that soft -i sound
Koiβ€” shares the -i ending

Explore names like Kei

By themejapaneseshort-and-sweet
By meaningWisdomGift / BlessingBlessed / Happy

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kei mean?

Kei is Japanese for 'blessing, wise, respect' (the meaning depends on the kanji).

How do you pronounce Kei?

It's said KAY /ˈkeΙͺ/ β€” a single syllable.

Is Kei a boy or girl name?

Kei is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a boy's name.

How popular is Kei?

Kei is a rare name in the U.S.

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