Keaton Unisex

Popularity: #644 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: KEE-ton //ˈkiːtən//

Origin: Irish; English

Meaning: Irish: 'descendant of the warrior'; English: 'place name'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Keaton has its roots in Old English, derived from the elements "cēat" meaning "a shed" or "a house" and "tun" meaning "enclosure" or "settlement." This suggests a literal meaning of "the settlement by the shed" or "the town of the huts." The name likely evolved from various place names in England, particularly in regions where such settlements were common. The transition into modern English occurred through the gradual linguistic shifts that took place from Old English to Middle English, ultimately leading to its current form.

Historically, the name Keaton can be traced back to the 19th century, when it began to be used as a given name rather than merely a surname or place name. It gained some recognition through notable figures, such as the American actor Buster Keaton, who rose to fame in the silent film era during the early 20th century.

His influence in the film industry helped to popularize the name in cultural contexts, although it remained relatively uncommon as a first name until later. Culturally, the name Keaton carries connotations of creativity and artistry, largely due to its association with Buster Keaton and the silent film era, which is often celebrated for its innovation and impact on cinema.

The name's phonetic appeal and strong consonant sounds contribute to its resonance in various artistic fields. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Kea" may emerge in familial or affectionate contexts, although these are less documented historically.

Overall, Keaton reflects a blend of linguistic heritage and cultural significance that has allowed it to endure through the centuries.

Fictional characters named Keaton

The following list of fictional characters named Keaton is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Keaton is a fictional character from the film The Other Guys. He is a key supporting character who provides comedic relief and assists the main characters in their investigation.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Keaton, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Keaton. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Keaton was first seen in the United States in 1925.

Keaton has ranked as high as #660 nationally, which occurred in 2007, and has been most popular in Texas, California, Indiana, Ohio, and Iowa.

In the past 5 years the name Keaton has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Keaton is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Keaton was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Keaton (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

State Births Share
TX 21
9%
FL 17
7%
PA 17
7%
TN 16
7%
CA 13
5%
MO 11
5%
IN 11
5%
KY 11
5%
GA 10
4%
OH 10
4%
SC 9
4%
IL 9
4%
AZ 9
4%
AL 8
3%
NY 7
3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Keaton.

YearBirths
2024288
2023268
2022315
2021348
2020369
2019481
2018518
2017477
2016548
2015623
2014694
2013701
2012749
2011814
2010804
2009801
2008833
2007881
2006781
2005808
2004794
2003735
2002670
2001682
2000761
1999737
1998717
1997675
1996525
1995515
1994444
1993378
1992373
1991303
1990283
1989225
1988163
1987135
1986131
1985109
198469
198347
198223
198115
198026
197917
197824
197710
197612
19758
19748
19736
19727
19716
19705
19635
19255