UK girl's name
Keva
A masculine Scandinavian/Swedish name of unknown meaning but possibly related to "stone".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2022. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Keva is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Keva popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2022 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5669, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2019, with 7 births.
This profile covers 29 England and Wales registrations across 8 recorded years from 2002 to 2022. 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 32 living people in the UK are called Keva. 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 2023 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Keva ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales in 2022, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2019, when 7 girls were registered as Keva.
- • Keva ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #810 in 2011.
- • About 32 living people in the UK are estimated to have Keva as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5669
2022
Births in 2022
3
Latest year
Peak year
2019
7 births
Estimated living
32
2026
Meaning
What does Keva mean?
The name Keva is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the second millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "kevi," which means "handsome" or "beautiful." This name was commonly used in various regions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in the northern parts of the country.
One of the earliest known references to the name Keva can be found in the ancient Hindu scriptures, the Vedas. In the Rigveda, one of the oldest and most revered texts of Hinduism, there is a mention of a sage or rishi named Keva. However, not much is known about this individual beyond their name being recorded in the sacred texts.
In the later centuries, the name Keva gained popularity among various ruling dynasties and noble families in India. One notable figure in history who bore this name was Keva Raja, a ruler of the Nayaka dynasty who reigned over the Kingdom of Gingee (modern-day Tamil Nadu) in the 17th century. His reign was marked by significant architectural achievements, including the construction of the renowned Gingee Fort.
Another historical figure named Keva was Keva Rama Naidu, a military commander and chieftain from the Nellore region of Andhra Pradesh. He played a crucial role in the resistance against the British East India Company in the late 18th century, leading his forces in several battles against the colonial forces.
Moving further back in time, there are records of a Buddhist monk named Keva who lived during the 5th century CE in the region of present-day Afghanistan. He is credited with translating several Buddhist texts from Sanskrit into Chinese, contributing to the spread of Buddhism in East Asia.
In the realm of literature, the name Keva appears in some ancient Sanskrit texts and poetic works. One such example is the "Keva Kavya," a collection of poems attributed to a poet named Keva, who is believed to have lived during the medieval period in India.
While the name Keva has roots in the Indian subcontinent, it has also been adopted and used in various other cultures and regions over time, albeit with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation. This name has stood the test of time and continues to be used in modern times, carrying with it a rich cultural heritage and historical significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Keva over time
The chart below shows babies named Keva registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2022. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Keva, the clearest high point is 2019. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2022, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Keva by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Keva 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 | #5581 | 9 | 3 |
| 2010s | #4864 | 17 | 4 |
| 2000s | #4137 | 3 | 1 |
Geography
Where Keva is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Keva. 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.
Keva ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #810 in 2011.
Across the UK
Keva in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#810 in 2011
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Keva
- 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
Keva: questions and answers
How popular is the name Keva in the UK right now?
In 2022, Keva was ranked #5669 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Keva most popular?
The peak year on record was 2019, with 7 babies registered as Keva in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Keva?
A masculine Scandinavian/Swedish name of unknown meaning but possibly related to "stone".
How many people are called Keva in the UK?
A total of 29 babies have been registered as Keva across the 8 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Keva most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Keva ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #810 in 2011. 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.