Fun Facts About the Name Keene
- 466 babies named Keene: U.S. records list 466 babies given the name Keene from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Keene Mean?
Keene is an English surname used as a given name, and it is most often explained as meaning "bold" or "brave." The source is the Old English adjective cēne, which described a person who was keen, bold, or fierce. The same word appears in Middle English as kene and is the ancestor of the modern English word "keen." Used as a byname, it could have labeled someone daring or sharp-witted, and from such bynames hereditary surnames formed.
A second, separate derivation is sometimes proposed: some families spelled Keene may descend from the Irish surname Keane, an anglicized form of Ó Catháin or Mac Catháin, built on cath, "battle." Because the two surnames can be spelled the same way, it is not always possible to tell which origin lies behind a particular family. The literal Old English sense is "bold"; the broader idea of keenness or sharpness is a later extension of the same word.
Keene Name History & Origins
The surname appears in medieval England in spellings such as Kene, Keen, and Keene, derived from the Old English word for a bold or keen person. It is found in various English counties, and it also became established in Ireland, where it overlaps in spelling with the native Keane family name.
The English surname was carried to North America, where it is best known through Keene, New Hampshire. The town was first granted under another name and was renamed Keene in the 1750s in honor of Sir Benjamin Keene, an English merchant and diplomat. As a first name, Keene is uncommon and is a transferred use of the surname rather than a traditional given name with its own line of development.
How Popular is the Name Keene?
Keene has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2014. Its best rank was #2,528 in 1948.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,363 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #11,612 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #11,462 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #9,143 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #9,325 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2018 | #9,239 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #7,878 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #11,473 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #6,151 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #5,164 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2013 | #6,450 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2012 | #10,275 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #5,827 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2010 | #10,242 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2009 | #6,281 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2008 | #11,854 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #8,592 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #7,738 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #10,812 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #8,552 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #7,556 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #10,067 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #8,779 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #9,734 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #6,280 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1998 | #10,487 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #10,053 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #8,481 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #5,717 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #7,377 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #5,581 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #9,142 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #3,741 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1990 | #5,608 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #6,133 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #6,546 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #6,852 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,712 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1982 | #6,029 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #5,221 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #5,234 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #5,434 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #3,328 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1971 | #5,295 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #2,985 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1968 | #3,924 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,475 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1961 | #3,846 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #4,337 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1959 | #3,433 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #4,277 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1955 | #3,697 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1952 | #4,010 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #3,185 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #2,528 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1936 | #3,358 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1932 | #3,574 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #4,554 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1922 | #4,081 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1918 | #4,497 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Keene Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Keene's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Keene's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.