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Key as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Key

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The baby name Key is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /kiː/ (KEE).

Key is English in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 1.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: /kiː/ (KEE)

What is the meaning of the name Key ?

The baby name Key is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced /kiː/ (KEE).

Key is English in Origin.

Key is a modern English given name drawn from the common noun “key,” ultimately from Old English cæg, of uncertain origin. As a word, it signifies an instrument that unlocks, and by extension denotes access, solution, and something essential - meanings that lend it strong symbolic appeal. The name occurs rarely as a unisex first name in the United States and English‑speaking countries from the late 20th century onward, often influenced by the trend toward meaningful word names and by transfer from the surname Key.

As a surname, Key may derive from Middle English keye “key” (an occupational name for a key‑maker or custodian) or from residence by a quay/wharf (Middle English keye, from Old French quai), and it has produced variants Keys and Keyes. Given‑name variants and near‑equivalents include Kee and Keye; internationally, the Japanese unisex name Kei (恵, 慶, 慧, 圭, etc.) is pronounced similarly but has distinct meanings.

Key has the following similar or variant Names

Key – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
HT 0 #12 1 399
ET Boys 0 #27 1 678
MV Girls 0 #35 1 2,021
HN Girls 0 #38 1 884
ID 0 #39 1 2,238
BI Boys 0 #44 1 917
MO 0 #52 1 2,706
PR 0 #54 2 1,497
AL 0 #76 1 2,372
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
MV Boys 0 #79 1 3,375
CN 0 #84 3 3,857
AF Girls 0 #94 1 2,402
ID Girls 0 #101 2 3,319
TW 0 #101 3 4,523
PH 0 #109 2 5,607
BN Girls 0 #114 1 5,459
EC 0 #121 1 2,502
IQ 0 #133 1 3,533
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
PA 0 #136 3 3,797
BN Boys 0 #137 3 6,332
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
CR 0 #143 16 5,526
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
PR Girls 0 #151 11 3,171
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
PR Boys 0 #178 1 2,508
UY 0 #182 1 2,477
AE 0 #185 3 10,220
LU Girls 0 #190 1 4,850
MO Boys 0 #209 15 5,842
LU Boys 0 #219 2 4,970
BG Boys 0 #220 1 3,850
AL Girls 0 #226 2 4,141
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
NA Girls 0 #232 6 7,146
MO Girls 0 #239 13 7,056
AO Boys 0 #244 6 5,568
EC Boys 0 #245 2 3,322
GH 0 #245 4 5,396
NA Boys 0 #245 9 6,830
JP Girls 0 #247 5 6,592
TW Boys 0 #251 6 7,111
EC Girls 0 #255 4 3,650
TW Girls 0 #261 16 8,139
JM Girls 0 #272 7 7,507
SG 0 #281 2 11,010
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
KZ Boys 0 #288 9 6,578
CN Boys 0 #291 29 9,639
JM Boys 0 #292 2 6,876
JP Boys 0 #297 7 7,909
PE 0 #301 10 6,350
AL Boys 0 #302 2 5,122
MY 0 #303 28 12,352
CZ Boys 0 #304 2 6,530
QA Girls 0 #305 12 15,378
SA 0 #309 4 10,560
CR Girls 0 #312 243 11,342
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
KZ Girls 0 #329 4 5,862
HK 0 #330 19 8,483
GT 0 #333 6 5,948
CN Girls 0 #338 12 8,829
PL Boys 0 #338 3 6,459
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
CZ Girls 0 #349 3 5,378
GH Boys 0 #354 8 8,138
BR 0 #358 3 5,969
SD Girls 0 #358 1 7,678
MU Girls 0 #362 1 8,539
PL Girls 0 #364 1 5,096
MU Boys 0 #369 1 8,477
OM Girls 0 #379 18 15,987
PH Girls 0 #380 11 13,098
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
JO Boys 0 #387 3 7,057
YE 0 #395 4 8,639
MX 0 #401 13 8,339
BO 0 #402 7 6,868
HK Boys 0 #402 129 12,905
PH Boys 0 #403 6 11,440
PA Girls 0 #404 78 9,861
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
CL 0 #430 5 6,867
CO 0 #456 25 7,768
SD Boys 0 #466 1 10,523
PT Girls 0 #470 2 7,952
ZA 0 #472 3 14,421
CR Boys 0 #475 13 10,188
RU Girls 0 #479 20 11,913
GT Girls 0 #480 26 7,500
AR Boys 0 #482 2 7,628
RU Boys 0 #486 20 12,621
KW Girls 0 #492 24 19,177
GT Boys 0 #497 3 7,625
PA Boys 0 #499 7 9,305
IR Boys 0 #504 49 10,162
LY 0 #514 22 12,703
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
UY Girls 0 #530 7 6,731
AE Girls 0 #538 16 20,968
BH 0 #543 11 17,937
IR Girls 0 #544 2 8,334
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
HK Girls 0 #552 64 16,104
CM Girls 0 #557 4 11,671
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
SG Girls 0 #568 19 18,916
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
AR Girls 0 #585 15 8,289
BO Girls 0 #591 21 9,488
BD Boys 0 #602 4 10,045
BO Boys 0 #615 8 9,244
IL Boys 0 #621 5 10,983
IL Girls 0 #644 2 11,648
IN Girls 0 #653 2 13,121
IQ Boys 0 #653 15 13,071
CL Boys 0 #655 11 13,390
SG Boys 0 #681 17 17,960
LB 0 #686 5 13,263
QA Boys 0 #691 17 18,093
IT 0 #705 10 4,183
PE Girls 0 #730 217 14,861
CO Girls 0 #751 354 16,140
KW Boys 0 #760 10 18,755
SY 0 #762 6 11,684
BR Boys 0 #778 8 12,213
CL Girls 0 #808 44 14,098
PE Boys 0 #818 61 14,506
CO Boys 0 #820 101 15,656
NG Girls 0 #822 5 15,093
Germany Girls 0 #828 11 4,949
MY Boys 0 #841 276 25,439
MX Girls 0 #855 345 17,781
TN 0 #859 7 13,765
EG Boys 0 #865 22 15,035
United States Boys 2024 #886 7 7,044
MY Girls 0 #903 92 24,821
SA Girls 0 #908 28 25,931
Spain Boys 0 #911 20 5,610
OM Boys 0 #915 4 17,948
Germany Boys 0 #919 34 5,697
BR Girls 0 #929 13 12,708
NL Boys 0 #931 21 5,873
NG Boys 0 #934 18 16,906
MX Boys 0 #939 44 16,355
Spain Girls 0 #941 43 5,561
EG Girls 0 #950 10 14,742
IN Boys 0 #1,033 7 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,077 16 22,615
MA 0 #1,101 28 20,986
ZA Girls 0 #1,127 15 25,928
ZA Boys 0 #1,140 39 25,619
DZ 0 #1,148 29 20,130
TR 0 #1,178 34 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,376 71 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,419 53 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,574 41 28,008

Key is popular in 76 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
AE
AF
AL
AO

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Key

Key is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Key is a one syllable name, pronounced /kiː/ (KEE).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Kee, Keye, Kye, Kay and Kea.
Across languages, Key has these equivalents: Clavis (Latin), Clé / Clef (French), Chiave (Italian), Llave (Spanish), Kei (Japanese, homophone).
Somewhat — Key ranked #886 in United States in 2024, placing it just outside the most common names.