Fun Facts About the Name Keno
- 617 babies named Keno: U.S. records list 617 babies given the name Keno from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Keno Mean?
Keno is a masculine given name of German origin, used chiefly in northern Germany and in the Frisian regions of Germany and the Netherlands. It is a shortened, familiar form of names built on the Old High German element kuoni, meaning "bold" or "brave." The same element underlies Kuno, a familiar form of Konrad and similar compound names, and Keno is one of several spellings that arose in Low German and Frisian usage. Because Keno is a short form rather than a full compound name, its meaning rests on the single element "bold" rather than the two-part meaning carried by a name like Konrad ("bold counsel"). Some treatments list Keno simply as a variant of Kuno rather than as an independent development; the two are closely related, and the exact path is not fully certain.
Keno Name History & Origins
Keno comes from the naming customs of northern Germany and Frisia, where short forms ending in -o were common alongside longer compound names. Kuno and Keno served as familiar or pet forms of names such as Konrad and were used in the same Low German and Frisian areas. The name traveled with Frisian and Low German emigrants, and it is found today as both a given name and a surname. It also appears in place names, including a community in Oregon and Keno City in Yukon, but those place names are separate from the personal name.
The gambling game called keno is unrelated to the given name; its name is usually traced to French quine or Latin quini, "five each." Keno as a personal name has no documented connection to that game.
How Popular is the Name Keno?
Keno 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 1975. Its best rank was #2,081 in 1974.
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 | #7,012 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #10,390 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #8,002 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2022 | #5,747 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #9,281 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2020 | #9,152 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2019 | #7,414 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #7,387 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2016 | #13,279 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #8,402 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #6,865 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2013 | #13,152 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2012 | #7,320 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2011 | #8,456 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #7,351 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2009 | #10,477 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #8,682 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #7,901 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #11,393 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2005 | #9,658 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #6,347 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2003 | #8,257 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #5,573 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2001 | #6,723 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2000 | #6,597 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #5,507 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #5,321 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #6,384 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #4,292 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1995 | #4,170 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1994 | #6,703 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #4,360 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1992 | #5,082 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #4,949 | 11 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #6,826 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #5,943 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #7,935 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #5,222 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #5,114 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #4,522 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #4,781 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1983 | #3,331 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1982 | #4,422 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #4,010 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #4,331 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1979 | #3,264 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1978 | #2,737 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 1977 | #2,845 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1976 | #2,464 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1975 | #2,092 | 22 | 0.0014% |
| 1974 | #2,081 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1973 | #2,364 | 17 | 0.0011% |
| 1972 | #2,205 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1971 | #3,266 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #5,099 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #3,730 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1958 | #4,236 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1956 | #3,738 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1947 | #3,231 | 7 | 0.0004% |
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 Keno 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.
✦ Keno's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Keno's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.