Keith

/K-IY-TH/

Boy ChristianAtheist English origin BritishAmerican

Wood, forest, from Scottish Gaelic coille (wood) or Brythonic cēd (forest). An ancient Scottish place name turned given name

See Keith scored for your family

Meaning & origin

Keith is a boy's name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families. The name means "Wood, forest, from Scottish Gaelic coille (wood) or Brythonic cēd (forest). An ancient Scottish place name turned given name" and belongs to the Nature cluster — names drawn from the natural world — earth, water, sky.

Beyond its Christian heritage, Keith is also used in Atheist traditions, reflecting how this name has traveled across cultures.

Common among British, American, European, Singaporean, HongKonger, Chinese, Taiwanese, Japanese families, Keith carries cultural weight that goes beyond its dictionary definition — it's a name with a story and a community.

Numerology of Keith

Numerology assigns each name a single-digit destiny number by summing its letter values. Different schools use different mappings — NameRoot computes both so you can see how Keith resonates in either tradition.

Pythagorean
8
material mastery and executive power
Chaldean
8
material mastery and executive power

How Keith sounds

NameRoot scores the phonetic fit of every name against the sound of your last name. The pronunciation of Keith breaks down into 3 phonemes: /K-IY-TH/. In the app, you'll see how those sounds flow with your family name across rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters.

The six signals, applied to Keith

NameRoot scores every name across six independent dimensions. Here's how Keith maps to each — install the app to see the full compatibility score for your specific family.

01 — Birth Star
Nakshatra match
Enter your baby's birth date in the app and we'll compute the nakshatra compatibility score.
02 — Numerology
Destiny alignment
Pythagorean and Chaldean life-path calculations (destiny 8) matched against your family's own numerology profile.
03 — Phonetics
Last-name fit
Rhythm, stress, and consonant clusters measured with IPA to see how Keith flows with your family name.
04 — Meaning
Nature
Keith belongs to the Nature cluster — names drawn from the natural world — earth, water, sky.
05 — Cultural & Tradition
Christian
As a Christian name, Keith carries religious and cultural weight scored against your family's heritage — plus grandparent-name matches, saint's-day alignment, and generational naming patterns scored against your family tree.
06 — Uniqueness
Popularity balance
How common Keith is today versus historically — finding the sweet spot between familiar and forgotten.

Names similar to Keith

If Keith resonates with you, these names live in the same world — drawn from the same tradition, sharing the same meaning, or echoing a similar sound.

From the same tradition

Other Christian boy names, common in British families

Liam
Irish diminutive of William (Uilliam), from Germanic 'wil' (will) + 'helm' (helmet). Global phenomenon.
Noah
Rest, comfort, repose, from Hebrew Noach, linked to the root meaning to rest or bring relief. Borne in scripture by the builder of the ark who outlasted the flood, it has stayed in continuous Western use and now sits among the most-given boys' names worldwide.
Aarav
From Sanskrit 'arava' (peaceful, calm) or 'rav' (sound, musical note).
Oliver
From Latin olivarius (olive tree cultivator) or from the Frankish Olivier.

Sharing the same meaning

Other Christian boy names from the Nature cluster

George
Farmer, earth worker — the patron saint of England, the name of six kings, and Prince George of Cambridge. England's defining name.
Arnav
From Sanskrit 'arnava' (ocean, sea, stream). Vedic cosmic ocean.
Mason
Stone worker, builder in brick or dressed stone.

Names that sound similar

Christian boy names that open with the same syllables as Keith

Cian
Ancient, enduring, the one who lasts — from Old Irish cían (long, distant in time), Cian names a son in continuity with one of Irish mythology's most ancient figures: Cian mac Cáinte, father of Lugh of the Long Arm in the Lebor Gabála Érenn. The name carries the weight of pre-Christian Irish heritage.
Kilian
Church, strife — Saint Kilian evangelised Franconia. An Irish saint who became thoroughly German
Kieran
Little dark one, the small and shadowed child who grew into a saint — Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise founded one of Ireland's greatest monastic cities in the 6th century, a centre of learning that attracted scholars from across Europe. His name carries the affectionate Irish diminutive for darkness, suggesting not gloom but the rich, deep colour of peat, night sky, and the dark eyes of Celtic mythology's most compelling heroes

Common questions about Keith

What does the name Keith mean?

Keith means "Wood, forest, from Scottish Gaelic coille (wood) or Brythonic cēd (forest). An ancient Scottish place name turned given name." It is a boy name of English origin, traditionally used in Christian families.

Is Keith a boy or girl name?

Keith is most commonly used as a boy name.

What is the origin of the name Keith?

Keith is of English origin, used in Christian, Atheist traditions, commonly among British, American, European families.

What is the numerology of Keith?

Keith has a Pythagorean destiny number of 8 — material mastery and executive power.

See how Keith scores for your family

NameRoot is the only baby-name app that scores every name across 6 signals against your specific family context. Download free — Keith is waiting.

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