Given name & surname · also German, Irish
Keller
“one who is daring”·“from the cellar”·“a beloved friend”
Keller is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who is daring”, “from the cellar”, and “a beloved friend”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Original GermanKellner
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who is daring”, “from the cellar”, and “a beloved friend”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Irish, German, and Celtic naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1911. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Keller through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,172
- 3,702 boys · 470 girls
- Most popular year
- 2014
- 200 babies
- 2025
- 92
- #2,000 for boys · #6,980 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −21%
- Easing
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 86% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 76 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 2,000 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 23.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 16 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Louisiana had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (7). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 3,499 as a first name in 2020; 94,168 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Keller’s family of names
Keller has a related form in Kellar. Keller has a related form in Kellers. Keller has a related form in Kellir.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 14
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Keller
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Keller, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kendrick
“a royal ruler” · “the champion”
99% boys · 1% girls
Caellum
“a brave warrior”
>99% boys
Cael
“of the victorious people”
>99% boys
Carter
“a transporter of merchandise” · “one who transports goods; one who drives a cart”
93% boys · 7% girls
Conall
“resembling a wolf, having strength and wisdom”
>99% boys
Camden
“from the winding valley”
95% boys · 5% girls
Edan
“one who is full of fire”
95% boys · 5% girls
Kahlo
Kahlo is a surname from German.
91% boys · 9% girls