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Keir

Boy name · 1,134 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Keir: 1,134 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 61 births in 2000.

Keir is a Scottish name with Gaelic roots, derived from *ciar* meaning "dark" or "dusky," and traditionally used as a surname before becoming a popular first name. Its most prominent bearer in modern times is Keir Starmer, the UK Labour Party leader and Prime Minister since 2024, while the early Labour politician Keir Hardie helped cement the name in political history. The actress Keir Dullea also brought it to screens in *2001: A Space Odyssey*. Places such as Keir Mill in Dumfriesshire share the same linguistic origin. A closely related variant is Ciaran, the Irish form of the same root, making Keir a concise Scottish alternative to that classic name.

Boy 49 of 52 years

Peak year
200061 babies
Latest (2025)
#6474 babies
Total births
1,134since 1975
5-year trend
▼ 65%vs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2000 · 61
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).