UK boy's name
Keifer
A masculine name of German origin meaning "chalice bearer".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2012. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Keifer is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Keifer popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2012 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4805, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 5 births.
This profile covers 17 England and Wales registrations across 5 recorded years from 1996 to 2012. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, 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 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 17 living people in the UK are called Keifer. 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 2013 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Keifer ranked #4805 for boys in England and Wales in 2012, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 5 boys were registered as Keifer.
- • About 17 living people in the UK are estimated to have Keifer as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4805
2012
Births in 2012
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
5 births
Estimated living
17
2026
Meaning
What does Keifer mean?
The name Keifer is a variant spelling of the German name Käfer, which means "beetle" in English. The name originated in the German language and culture during the Middle Ages, around the 12th century. It was initially a descriptive surname given to individuals who may have had some association with beetles or worked with them in some capacity.
In its earliest usage, the name Keifer was likely a nickname or occupational surname for someone involved in activities related to beetles, such as collecting or studying them. It could also have been a descriptive name given to someone whose physical appearance or mannerisms resembled a beetle in some way.
While the name Keifer does not appear to have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is rooted in the German language and reflects the cultural traditions and naming practices of the Germanic peoples.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Keifer dates back to the 16th century, when a German man named Keifer Bauer was mentioned in a historical document from the city of Nuremberg in 1543. Another early example is Johann Keifer, a German painter and engraver who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Keifer. One example is Johann Keifer (1873-1953), a German-American artist and sculptor known for his works depicting scenes from the American West. Another is Erwin Keifer (1904-1965), a German film actor who appeared in numerous films during the 1930s and 1940s.
In the field of science, there was Wilhelm Keifer (1882-1958), a German botanist and phycologist who made significant contributions to the study of algae. Additionally, Hans Keifer (1892-1976) was a German-American entomologist who specialized in the study of mites and was considered a pioneer in his field.
Finally, one notable figure from more recent history is Robert Keifer (1908-1988), an American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Ohio between 1947 and 1959.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Keifer over time
The chart below shows babies named Keifer registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2012. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Keifer, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2012, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keifer by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Keifer 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4742 | 6 | 2 |
| 2000s | #3036 | 3 | 1 |
| 1990s | #2440 | 8 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Keifer
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Keifer: questions and answers
How popular is the name Keifer in the UK right now?
In 2012, Keifer was ranked #4805 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Keifer most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 5 babies registered as Keifer in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Keifer?
A masculine name of German origin meaning "chalice bearer".
How many people are called Keifer in the UK?
A total of 17 babies have been registered as Keifer across the 5 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
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.