Keith is a name of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "Cionaoth". The meaning of Keith is "sharp or wide", which is believed to refer to the shape of the riverbank on the family's estate. The name has been used in Scotland for centuries and was traditionally associated with the Keith Clan, a powerful Highland family.
The name Keith first gained popularity outside of Scotland in the 19th century when Scottish immigrants settled in North America and Australia. Today, Keith is still more common in English-speaking countries than in other parts of the world.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Keith. One of the most famous was Sir William Keith (1665-1749), a Scottish painter who became the first president of the Royal Academy of Arts in London. Another notable figure was James Keith, 1st Earl Marischal (1696-1758), a Scottish military officer and politician who served as a field marshal in the Russian army.
In popular culture, the name Keith has been used in various movies, TV shows, and books. Some examples include Keith Scott in the movie "The Usual Suspects", Keith Morrison on the TV show "Dateline NBC", and Keith McCaughey in the book "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R.R. Martin.
Overall, Keith is a name with a rich history and Scottish heritage that has been used throughout the centuries and continues to be popular today.
Based on the statistics provided, we can analyze the popularity of the name Keith in the United States from 1915 to 2010.
In the early years, the number of babies named Keith fluctuated annually, with a range of 5 to 10 births per year between 1915 and 1924. The highest number of Keiths born in this period was 18 in 1927.
The trend continued through the 1930s and early 1940s, with annual birth counts ranging from 11 to 29. The name peaked again in 1952 with 42 births, indicating that Keith might have gained popularity during this time.
However, starting from the late 1950s, the popularity of the name Keith began to decline gradually. Between 1957 and 1969, the number of Keiths born annually ranged between 49 and 82, with a peak in 1963. This period saw the highest birth counts for the name Keith.
After 1970, the popularity of Keith continued to decrease significantly. From 1970 to 2010, the annual number of babies named Keith varied between 8 and 35 births per year. The last time Keith was given to more than 25 babies in a single year was in 1991.
In recent years, from 2000 onwards, the popularity of the name Keith has been quite low, with fewer than 10 births annually. In 2006 and 2008, there were only 6 births each year for babies named Keith.
Over the entire period from 1915 to 2010, a total of 2836 babies were born in the United States with the name Keith. While it once was quite popular during the mid-20th century, particularly in the late 1950s and early 1960s, its popularity has declined steadily over time.