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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kiefer

Kiefer

♂ Boy

Pronounced KEE-fur /ˈki.fər/High

Meaning: From the German surname Kiefer, which carries two senses: 'pine tree' (Kiefer, the conifer) and an occupational sense from Kufer, 'cooper, barrel-maker'. It came into English-speaking first-name use in the twentieth century, helped along by actor Kiefer Sutherland.Medium

In 30 seconds: A German surname name meaning 'pine tree' — sturdy and evergreen (said 'KEE-fur').
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Origin MediumGerman
MeaningFrom the German surname Kiefer, which carries two senses: 'pine tree' (Kiefer, the conifer) and an occupational sense from Kufer, 'cooper, barrel-maker'. It came into English-speaking first-name use in the twentieth century, helped along by actor Kiefer Sutherland.
U.S. rank (2024)#13302 ↘ Falling
2024 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1991
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,944

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199119882024

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

Kiefer is a German surname with a double life: the word for the pine tree, and an occupational name from Kufer, 'barrel-maker'. As a first name it is a modern, mostly North American development, its visibility raised by the actor Kiefer Sutherland. It reads as a crisp surname-style pick with real roots (said 'KEE-fur').

It appears only rarely for boys in the U.S. Rare, surname-style, and nature-tied.

Did you know? Kiefer is German for the pine tree, and it doubles as an old occupational surname for a cooper, a maker of barrels — a name with both forest and workshop in it (said 'KEE-fur').
Overall data confidence 55%
References — Kiefer — German surname: 'pine tree' / 'cooper'

Variations

KeeferKiefnerKuefer

Nicknames

KiefKee

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kiefer…

Keegan— a like crisp two-beat K- name
Fletcher— another occupational surname name
Cooper— the English word for the same trade
Anders— a like Germanic surname-style pick

Explore names like Kiefer

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kiefer mean?

Kiefer is German for 'pine tree', and also an occupational surname meaning 'barrel-maker'.

How do you pronounce Kiefer?

It's said KEE-fur /ˈki.fər/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kiefer a boy or girl name?

Kiefer is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Kiefer?

Kiefer is a rare name for boys in the U.S.

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