Fun Facts About the Name Keifer
- More than 1 thousand babies named Keifer: U.S. records list 1,155 babies given the name Keifer from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Keifer Mean?
Keifer is an English-language spelling of the German surname Kiefer. Its usual meaning is 'pine tree,' from the German word Kiefer (pine), so the surname could describe someone who lived by a pine tree or in a pine wood. A second explanation connects the surname, and especially the related spelling Kieffer, to German Küfer, 'cooper,' a maker of barrels and casks; in that case the meaning would be occupational rather than topographic. These are competing derivations rather than two meanings that apply to every family, and the spelling Keifer can represent either tradition.
Keifer Name History & Origins
The surname Kiefer is found in German-speaking lands. It can be a topographic name for someone who lived by a pine tree or pine wood, or, in the related spelling Kieffer, an occupational name for a cooper. As a hereditary surname, it could identify a person by surroundings or trade. When German-speaking immigrants brought the surname to North America, it was respelled in various English forms; Keifer and Keefer are among them. Keifer is used as a given name in the United States and other English-speaking countries as a transferred surname name, not as a traditional German given name. Its pronunciation, KEE-fer, matches the German pronunciation of Kiefer. The actor Kiefer Sutherland is a well-known bearer of the Kiefer spelling; that is a modern association, not the origin of the name.
How Popular is the Name Keifer?
Keifer recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 1991. Its best rank was #926 in 1991.
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 | #11,364 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #9,270 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #8,402 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #8,544 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #8,498 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2015 | #11,431 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2014 | #7,305 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #8,469 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2012 | #5,608 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2011 | #5,094 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2010 | #4,607 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2009 | #4,112 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2008 | #4,473 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2007 | #4,434 | 22 | 0.0011% |
| 2006 | #4,161 | 23 | 0.0011% |
| 2005 | #4,395 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #2,986 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 2003 | #2,886 | 34 | 0.0017% |
| 2002 | #3,228 | 28 | 0.0014% |
| 2001 | #3,277 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2000 | #2,777 | 33 | 0.0017% |
| 1999 | #2,903 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1998 | #1,973 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 1997 | #2,116 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 1996 | #1,754 | 53 | 0.0028% |
| 1995 | #1,540 | 62 | 0.0033% |
| 1994 | #1,278 | 84 | 0.0043% |
| 1993 | #1,372 | 71 | 0.0036% |
| 1992 | #1,214 | 86 | 0.0043% |
| 1991 | #926 | 131 | 0.0065% |
| 1990 | #1,444 | 61 | 0.0030% |
| 1989 | #1,365 | 65 | 0.0032% |
| 1988 | #3,151 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1978 | #6,304 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #3,174 | 10 | 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 Keifer 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.
You desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Keifer's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Keifer's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.