Total births
166
Unisex name · since 1914
Key
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 166 babies named Key, peaking in 1993. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #9979
- among boys today
- 166
- born since 1914
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
166 babies have been named Key since 1914, making it today's #9979 unisex name.
Key has 166 recorded births among boys since 1914, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #9979 as of the latest data, more common than 30% of boys, busiest in the 1990s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2024.
- #9979 among boys today
- 166 born since 1914
- 1990s peak decade
- 30% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Key is currently the #9979 unisex name in America, more common than 30% of boys - 166 born since 1914, peaking in the 1990s.
- #9979
- among boys today
- 166
- born since 1914
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 30%
- more common than other boys
Key vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9979
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 30% of names given to boys today.
1990s
Peak decade
31% of everyone ever named Key was born in this single decade.
1993
Single peak year
12 babies were named Key in 1993 - its busiest year on record.
How Key compares
166 35th percentile among 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Key's all-time total is 55% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Key | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 166 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 12 | 23 | 22,252 |
Key's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Key's full recorded timeline at 1993, 56% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 44% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1914, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1993 peak of 12 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Key at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1993
Current rank
#9,979
Active since
1914
Key popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2024
- Peak year (1993)
- 12
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Key popularity over time - girls
10 total births recorded since 1970 (Key as girls' name)
Key by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Key's strongest decade.
52 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 31% of all-time use.
Key births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 10
1910s
10 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1960s 12
1960s
12 births
- 1970s 19
1970s
19 births
- 1980s 16
1980s
16 births
- 1990s
1990s
52 births
- 2000s 17
2000s
17 births
- 2010s 15
2010s
15 births
- 2020s 15
2020s
15 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 52 births (31% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Key? ▼
Since 1914, Social Security records show 166 babies named Key. Today it holds rank #9979 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1993, with 12 births.
When was Key most popular? ▼
Key was most popular in the 1990s decade with 52 total births. The single peak year was 1993.
Is Key a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Key is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 166 births, and as a girl's name it has 10 births.
How long has the name Key been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Key since 1914 -- 111 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Key? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Keyon, Keyshawn, Keyan, Keylan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Key's data
- Key's decade-level peak was the 1990s (52 total births); usage has since declined to 15 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- 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 Key
Nearby Names Like Key
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Key
Keyon Boy
#2004 5,919 births
Keyshawn Boy
#3072 4,059 births
Keyan Boy
#3642 1,382 births
Keylan Boy
#4647 1,018 births
Keyton Boy
#12831 797 births
Compare Key side by side: Key vs Keyon Key vs Keyshawn Key vs Keyan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Key
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1914–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Key: #9979 Unisex Name - 166 Births, Peak 1993." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/key. 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 Key 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 June 2026.