NameCensus.

UK girl's name

Keanna

A feminine given name of uncertain origin, perhaps Hawaiian.

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Keanna is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Keanna popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2843, with 8 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 13 births.

This profile covers 196 England and Wales registrations across 24 recorded years from 1996 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 62% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 201 living people in the UK are called Keanna. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Keanna ranked #2843 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 8 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 1999, when 13 girls were registered as Keanna.
  • Keanna ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #783 in 2009.
  • About 201 living people in the UK are estimated to have Keanna as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#2843

2020

Births in 2020

8

Latest year

Peak year

1999

13 births

Estimated living

201

2026

Meaning

What does Keanna mean?

The name Keanna has its origins in the Gaelic language, tracing back to Ireland and Scotland in the medieval period. It is believed to be a variation of the name Ciana, which itself is derived from the Irish word "cian," meaning "ancient" or "distant."

In its earliest forms, the name Keanna was sometimes spelled as Keena or Keina, reflecting the regional dialects of the Celtic languages. While there are no definitive records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is likely that it was in use among the Gaelic-speaking peoples of the British Isles during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Keanna was Keanna MacRae, a Scottish noblewoman who lived in the 16th century. She was a member of the influential Clan MacRae and is noted for her involvement in the political intrigues of the time.

Another notable figure bearing the name was Keanna O'Connell, an Irish poet and storyteller who lived in the late 17th century. Her work, which drew heavily on the rich oral traditions of Ireland, helped preserve many ancient tales and legends for future generations.

In the 19th century, Keanna Fitzgerald was a celebrated Irish actress who graced the stages of London and Dublin. Her performances were praised for their emotional depth and her ability to capture the essence of the roles she portrayed.

Across the Atlantic, Keanna Whitehorse was a prominent figure in the Cherokee Nation during the late 19th century. She played a crucial role in preserving the language and cultural traditions of her people, serving as a teacher and advocate for Cherokee rights.

In more recent times, Keanna Reeves was a renowned American painter and sculptor who lived from 1905 to 1987. Her works, which often explored themes of nature and spirituality, are celebrated for their unique blend of abstract and representational styles.

While the name Keanna has seen occasional use throughout history, it has remained relatively uncommon compared to more widely popular names. However, its rich heritage and connections to the Gaelic cultures of the British Isles have endured, making it a unique and intriguing choice for those seeking a name with deep historical roots.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Keanna over time

The chart below shows babies named Keanna registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Keanna, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 8 births in 2020, compared with 13 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Keanna
0371013199620082020

Decades

Keanna by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Keanna was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #2843 8 1
2010s #3704 63 9
2000s #2183 93 10
1990s #2175 32 4

Geography

Where Keanna is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Keanna. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Keanna ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #783 in 2009.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Keanna in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#783 in 2009

2 years of NRS records, 6 total registered

Related

Names similar to Keanna

FAQ

Keanna: questions and answers

How popular is the name Keanna in the UK right now?

In 2020, Keanna was ranked #2843 for girls in England and Wales, with 8 births registered.

When was Keanna most popular?

The peak year on record was 1999, with 13 babies registered as Keanna in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Keanna?

A feminine given name of uncertain origin, perhaps Hawaiian.

How many people are called Keanna in the UK?

A total of 196 babies have been registered as Keanna across the 24 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 6 more in Scotland.

Where is Keanna most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Keanna ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #783 in 2009. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.