The baby name Keye is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced KAY (keɪ),KEE (kiː),KYE (kaɪ) — less common.
Keye is Chinese in Origin.
The baby name Keye is a Unisex name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced KAY (keɪ),KEE (kiː),KYE (kaɪ) — less common.
Keye is Chinese in Origin.
Keye is a rare given name with several plausible roots. In English it most often reflects the surname Keye/Key/Kaye, ultimately from Middle English key, linked to Old English caeg "key," hence a nickname for a key-bearer or locksmith, and sometimes explained as residence by a quay (wharf). As a phonetic variant of Kay, it also connects to Arthurian tradition via Sir Kay, whose Welsh name Cei (Cai) is related; some scholars further associate it with Latin Gaius. Modern hearers may read Keye as a respelling of Kai (notably "sea" in Hawaiian, with varied meanings in other languages), making it flexible and cross-cultural.
Documented as a surname since medieval England, Keye has seen occasional given-name use in the 20th century; actor Keye Luke is a notable bearer. Variants and cognates include Key, Keyes, Kaye, Kay, Kai, Kye, Cai, and Cei. Pronounced KEE or KYE; typically unisex.
Keye is seldom given. In all, it turns up just 39 times, across 16 countries.
Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.
| Country | Gender | Year | Rank | Born | of |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN | Boys | 0 | #331 | 1 | 9,639 |
| MU | Boys | 0 | #369 | 1 | 8,477 |
| PH | Boys | 0 | #408 | 1 | 11,440 |
| RU | Girls | 0 | #523 | 1 | 11,913 |
| CM | Girls | 0 | #560 | 1 | 11,671 |
| BH | 0 | #587 | 1 | 17,937 | |
| SG | Girls | 0 | #632 | 1 | 18,916 |
| IN | Girls | 0 | #654 | 1 | 13,121 |
| IQ | Boys | 0 | #697 | 1 | 13,071 |
| SG | Boys | 0 | #739 | 1 | 17,960 |
| SY | 0 | #767 | 1 | 11,684 | |
| NG | Girls | 0 | #819 | 8 | 15,093 |
| CO | Boys | 0 | #980 | 2 | 15,656 |
| NG | Boys | 0 | #996 | 6 | 16,906 |
| SA | Girls | 0 | #1,014 | 1 | 25,931 |
| MY | Boys | 0 | #1,179 | 4 | 25,439 |
| MA | 0 | #1,198 | 2 | 20,986 | |
| TR | 0 | #1,252 | 3 | 19,440 | |
| SA | Boys | 0 | #1,690 | 2 | 28,008 |
Keye is popular in 16 countries — most recent births per country:
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