Keanu

What Keanu means

Hawaiian, meaning “coolness”

From ke (definite particle) +‎ anu (“coolness”); coolness is a symbol of happiness and romance in the warm Hawaiian climate.

Source: Wiktionary, “Keanu” (revision 90764658), CC BY-SA 4.0. Quoted from the etymology; we don’t write our own.

How popular is Keanu?

US: Rising: up from #1023 in 2015. England & Wales: Rising: up from #1442 in 2015.

Biggest US share so far: 2020, when 557 boys got the name (#515 that year). First in the US records in 1990.

How common

• About 1 in 4,000 baby boys in the US in 2025
• About 1 in 6,798 baby boys in England and Wales in 2025

“1 in N” divides by all listed births for that sex. The US list leaves out names given to fewer than 5 babies, and the UK lists leave out names given to 2 or fewer, so the real figure is a little rarer than shown.

Where in the US

Most popular in HI (3.43 per 1,000 boys), NV (1.06 per 1,000 boys), NM (0.92 per 1,000 boys) in 2025.

SSA state data, 2025. Share of all listed boys born in each state.

US vs UK

Keanu is #648 in the US and #811 in England & Wales (2025).

Same sex as this page (boys). SSA (US), ONS (England and Wales), NRS (Scotland).

Boy or girl?

In 2025, 99.9+% of US babies named Keanu were boys.

Counts below the publishing threshold (US 5, UK 3) are not included.

How to say it

IPA from Wiktionary.

Other spellings parents chose in 2025

• Keoni72 US
• Kiano11 US · 5 E&W
• Keano5 US · 3 E&W
• Kianu5 US

Names that sound the same and differ by a letter or two, with baby counts for the same sex. US and E&W counts.

If you like Keanu

Boys

• Walker#78Editor’s note Climbing fast in the US: #340 in 2015, #78 in 2025
• Koa#269Hawaiian, meaning “warrior, courage; koa tree”^*
• Adonis#241Editor’s note Climbing fast in the US: #698 in 2015, #241 in 2025
• River#111From the word “river”^*
• Lane#250Editor’s note Up from #297 in 2015 to #250 in 2025 in the US
• Zayn#251“beauty”^*

For a sister

• Celine#207“heaven”^*
• Aspen#266Editor’s note Used for both: 82% of US babies named Aspen in 2025 were girls
• Sage#160“sedge”^*
• Josie#82Editor’s note Climbing fast in the US: #250 in 2015, #82 in 2025
• Oakley#156“oak + woodland clearing, glade”^*
• Hallie#120Editor’s note Climbing fast in the US: #565 in 2015, #120 in 2025

Picked from the US top 1,000 in 2025: names Wiktionary also files under where there are enough, topped up with common names whose US popularity since 1990 rose and fell most like Keanu’s. Place names are only included if they are in the top 300. Rank is US 2025.