UK girl's name
Keturah
A feminine Hebrew name meaning "incense" or "fragrance".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Keturah is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Keturah popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5891, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 9 births.
This profile covers 98 England and Wales registrations across 22 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. 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 33% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 97 living people in the UK are called Keturah. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Keturah ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 9 girls were registered as Keturah.
- • About 97 living people in the UK are estimated to have Keturah as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5891
2024
Births in 2024
3
Latest year
Peak year
2007
9 births
Estimated living
97
2026
Meaning
What does Keturah mean?
The name Keturah has its origins in the Hebrew language and culture. It is derived from the Hebrew word "qeturah," which means "incense" or "fragrance." The name first appears in the Old Testament of the Bible, where Keturah is mentioned as one of the wives of the patriarch Abraham.
According to the Book of Genesis, Abraham took Keturah as his wife after the death of his first wife, Sarah. Keturah bore him six sons: Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah. These sons are believed to have become the progenitors of various Arabian tribes and nations.
The name Keturah holds significant meaning in the Judeo-Christian tradition, often symbolizing fertility, abundance, and the continuation of Abraham's lineage. In some interpretations, Keturah is seen as a representation of Abraham's spiritual journey, as he moved from the familiar to the unknown, embracing new experiences and blessings.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Keturah can be found in the biblical account itself, dating back to around the 2nd millennium BCE. Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore this name.
Keturah Whitford (1832-1921) was an American missionary and educator who established schools in Persia (modern-day Iran) and worked tirelessly to promote education and women's rights in the region. Keturah Stickney (1824-1890) was an American author and abolitionist who wrote extensively about the struggles of women and the abolition of slavery.
Keturah Bingham (1789-1847) was an American pioneer and early settler in Ohio, known for her bravery and resilience in the face of adversity. Keturah Chandler (1832-1892) was an American educator and women's rights activist who fought for equal educational opportunities for women in the 19th century.
Keturah Leitch (1849-1925) was a Scottish missionary and teacher who dedicated her life to educational and missionary work in India, establishing several schools and orphanages for girls in the subcontinent.
While the name Keturah is not as widely used today as it once was, it still holds a rich historical and cultural significance, particularly in the Judeo-Christian tradition and among those with an appreciation for its biblical and linguistic origins.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Keturah over time
The chart below shows babies named Keturah registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Keturah, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2024, compared with 9 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keturah by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Keturah 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 | #5192 | 15 | 4 |
| 2010s | #4653 | 36 | 8 |
| 2000s | #3959 | 31 | 7 |
| 1990s | #2746 | 16 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Keturah
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Keturah: questions and answers
How popular is the name Keturah in the UK right now?
In 2024, Keturah was ranked #5891 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Keturah most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 9 babies registered as Keturah in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Keturah?
A feminine Hebrew name meaning "incense" or "fragrance".
How many people are called Keturah in the UK?
A total of 98 babies have been registered as Keturah across the 22 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.