NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Keston

From an English surname possibly meaning "the queen's town".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Keston is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Keston popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4702, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 5 births.

This profile covers 41 England and Wales registrations across 12 recorded years from 2000 to 2019. 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 41 living people in the UK are called Keston. 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 2020 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Keston ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2002, when 5 boys were registered as Keston.
  • About 41 living people in the UK are estimated to have Keston as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#4702

2019

Births in 2019

3

Latest year

Peak year

2002

5 births

Estimated living

41

2026

Meaning

What does Keston mean?

The name Keston has its origins in the Old English language, deriving from the words "caester" and "tun," which together mean "town by the Roman fortification." This suggests that the name likely emerged in Britain during the Anglo-Saxon period, between the 5th and 11th centuries AD, when Old English was the predominant language spoken in what is now England.

One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Keston can be found in the Domesday Book, a manuscript record of a survey commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The book mentions a settlement called "Keston" in Kent, England, which likely contributed to the name's popularization in the region.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Keston. One of the earliest was Keston Vaughan (1505-1568), a Welsh landowner and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another was Keston Armour (1790-1856), an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives in the 19th century.

In the 20th century, Keston Ruxton (1900-1983) was a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Tate Britain art gallery. Keston Cobblers Club (founded in 2008) is the name of an English folk rock band that has gained popularity in recent years.

Another noteworthy bearer of the name was Keston Muruthi (1925-2003), a Kenyan writer, journalist, and political activist who played a significant role in the country's struggle for independence from British colonial rule.

While the name Keston may have originated in England, it has also been used in other parts of the world, particularly in countries with historical ties to Britain. However, its usage has remained relatively uncommon compared to more popular names of similar origin, such as Chester or Preston.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Keston over time

The chart below shows babies named Keston registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2000 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Keston, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 5 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Keston
01345200020092019

Decades

Keston by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Keston 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 #4412 27 8
2000s #3393 14 4

Related

Names similar to Keston

FAQ

Keston: questions and answers

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

In 2019, Keston was ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.

When was Keston most popular?

The peak year on record was 2002, with 5 babies registered as Keston in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Keston?

From an English surname possibly meaning "the queen's town".

How many people are called Keston in the UK?

A total of 41 babies have been registered as Keston across the 12 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.