Total births
1,070
Girls' name · since 1956
Keela
Keela has 1,070 recorded births since 1956 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1978 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 1,070
- total births
- 1956–2025
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 24%
- born in that decade
1,070 girls have been named Keela since 1956, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Keela recorded 1,070 times among girls since 1956, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1956 to 2025.
- 1,070 total births
- 1956–2025 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 24% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
1,070 girls have been named Keela since 1956, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 2025.
- 1,070
- total births
- 1956–2025
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 24%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
24% of everyone ever named Keela was born in this single decade.
1978
Single peak year
33 babies were named Keela in 1978 - its busiest year on record.
Keela's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Keela splits its recorded history at 1990: 42% of all births land in the more recent half, 58% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 2002 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1978 peak of 33 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Keela at a glance
Last recorded 2025Peak year
1978
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1956
Keela popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1956–2025
- Peak year (1978)
- 33
- Annual births at peak, across 70 years of records
Keela by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Keela's strongest decade.
259 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 24% of all-time use.
Keela births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 26
1950s
26 births
- 1960s
1960s
127 births
- 1970s
1970s
259 births
- 1980s
1980s
207 births
- 1990s
1990s
187 births
- 2000s
2000s
107 births
- 2010s
2010s
132 births
- 2020s 25
2020s
25 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 259 births (24% of all-time use).
How Keela compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Keela's total volume
Keela vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Keela by state
Where Keela concentrates geographically, total births since 1956
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tennessee | | 7 | 0.7% |
| #2 | Alabama | | 5 | 0.5% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 5 | 0.5% |
Tennessee share of Keela's total US births 0.7%
Even split
7 of 1,070 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Keela? ▼
Since 1956, Social Security records show 1,070 babies named Keela. The most recent recorded year was 2025. Its busiest year on record was 1978, with 33 births.
When was Keela most popular? ▼
Keela was most popular in the 1970s decade with 259 total births. The single peak year was 1978.
Where is Keela most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Keela are Tennessee (7 births), Alabama (5 births), Georgia (5 births).
How long has the name Keela been used? ▼
Records for Keela go back to 1956, giving 70 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Keela? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Keely, Keeley, Keegan, Keesha, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Keela's data
- Keela's decade-level peak was the 1970s (259 total births); usage has since declined to 25 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Tennessee records the most Keelas (7 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Tennessee names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Keela
Nearby Names Like Keela
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Keela
Keely Girl
#2057 12,698 births
Keeley Girl
#1571 6,692 births
Keegan Girl
#2949 3,805 births
Keesha Girl
2,713 births
Keena Girl
#10410 2,195 births
Compare Keela side by side: Keela vs Keely Keela vs Keeley Keela vs Keegan
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1956–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Keela: Baby Name Since 1956 - 1,070 Births, Peak 1978." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/keela. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Keela draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.