The first name Keir
A boy’s name from Scottish Gaelic meaning “dark”, “a fort”.
Pronounced /kɪɹ/ 1 syllable Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Scottish Gaelic origin
Keir means “dark”, “a fort” in Scottish Gaelic.
Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic ciar (“dark”) or Old Norse [Term?]. Hanks (2006) derived the name from Pictish/Proto-Brythonic *kaɨr (“a fort”), possibly via Scots keir.
More names that mean black.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
Keir last appeared in the official list in 2023, given to 4 boys. It peaked in 1998, with 74 births (#327).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Keir with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Keir at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 7 boys born in the United States were named Keir, the 10,207th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1970, when 63 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Keir in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Keir in Scottish Gaelic too.
Famous people named Keir
5 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Keir DulleaAmerican actor, born 1936
- Keir GilchristCanadian actor, born 1992
- Keir O'DonnellAustralian–American actor, born 1978
- Keir MatherBritish politician (born 1998)
- Richard PankhurstBritish-Ethiopian scholar (1927–2017)
More Scottish Gaelic boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Keir mean?
- Keir means “dark”, “a fort” in Scottish Gaelic.
- What is the origin of the name Keir?
- Borrowed from Scottish Gaelic ciar (“dark”) or Old Norse [Term?]. Hanks (2006) derived the name from Pictish/Proto-Brythonic *kaɨr (“a fort”), possibly via Scots keir.
- How popular is the name Keir?
- In 2023, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Keir, ranking 4,107th. Its peak was 1998, with 74 births.
- Is Keir a boy's or a girl's name?
- Both. Of the 1,117 US babies named Keir since 1880, 6% were girls and 94% boys.
- When was Keir most popular?
- 1970 in the United States, when 63 babies were named Keir, its highest rank at 1,028th.
- How do you pronounce Keir?
- Keir is /kɪɹ/, one syllable.
- Is Keir also a surname?
- Yes. Keir is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.