Keenan
Boy name · Celtic · English · Gaelic · Irish
- US rank
- #1,305
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #354 in 1997
149 babies were named Keenan in the US in 2025. It has dropped 319 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1964–2025
US births per million boys, 1942–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Keenan you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Keenan
Keenan Wynn
American actor (1916–1986)
Choose Keenan and your child shares a first name with Keenan Wynn, an American actor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Keenan, like who?” Keenan Wynn's Wikipedia article is available in 29 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Keenan Wynn on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: MGM, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 11,468 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Keenan, 149 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Keenan would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryKeenan first shows up in US birth records in 1942, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 83 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1997, when it ranked #354. Today it's #1,305, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowKeenan was 2.4× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 4,778 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 11,468.
- TrendKeenan has slipped 319 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,305. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedKeenan is most popular in West Virginia, where it ranks #330, followed by Colorado (#756) and Virginia (#875). It's in the top 1,000 in 5 states.
About the name Keenan
Keenan is a boy name of Celtic, English and Gaelic origin. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with K and ending in “-nan”. US birth records list Keenan for boys from 1942 to 2025, in 82 of those 84 years. Its best year was 1997, when it ranked #354 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,305, with 149 babies.
Origin:Celtic namesEnglish namesGaelic namesIrish names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.5 | 1,875,000 girls |
| 1970s | 2.8 | 352,113 girls |
| 1980s | 5.1 | 194,553 girls |
| 1990s | 6.1 | 164,474 girls |
| 2000s | 3.0 | 328,947 girls |
| 2010s | 1.6 | 609,756 girls |
| 2020s | 0.6 | 1,612,903 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1940s | 5.3 | 186,916 boys |
| 1950s | 14 | 70,972 boys |
| 1960s | 45 | 22,242 boys |
| 1970s | 71 | 14,027 boys |
| 1980s | 135 | 7,385 boys |
| 1990s | 307 | 3,253 boys |
| 2000s | 185 | 5,415 boys |
| 2010s | 132 | 7,584 boys |
| 2020s | 107 | 9,384 boys |
Other spellings of Keenan
More Celtic boy names
- Unisex name: Owen · well-born
- Unisex name: Logan · little hollow
- Unisex name: Rowan · little red-haired one
- Unisex name: Nolan · descendant of Nuallán
- Unisex name: Cameron · crooked nose
- Boy name: Ian · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Gael · a Gael
- Boy name: Arthur · possibly bear
Questions about the name Keenan
What is the origin of the name Keenan?
Keenan has Celtic, English, Gaelic, Irish roots in our records. Other Celtic names include Owen, Logan, Rowan.
Is Keenan a boy or girl name?
Keenan is a boy name.
How popular is the name Keenan?
Keenan ranked #1,305 for US boys in 2025, given to 149 babies. Its best year was 1997 (#354).