Keyes

KEEZ

English, Irish

"keeper of keys; son of Aodh"

Keyes Origin and Meaning

The name Keyes is a boy's name meaning "keeper of keys; son of Aodh".

With an easy-going and interesting sound, the surname-inspired Keyes might fit in with the likes of Hayes, Reese, Kai and Keegan. While Keyes has never appeared in the US stats, Key (perhaps as a variation of Kay or Kai) is given to a handful of boys each year.

Like many names, Keyes has a number of origins, one being from the Old English word cȳse meaning "keys" or "lock". As such, it is an occupational name, given to a locksmith or an important keeper of keys. Following its Irish roots, Keyes is an Anglicized form of MacAoidh or MacAodha, via McKee. This gives it the meaning "son of Aodh", or, more literally, "son of fire".

One other possibility is that it is a variation of Kay - one of the Knights of the Round Table - which might link it to the Welsh Cai, possibly derived from Gaius, meaning "to rejoice", though this origin is more contested.

Famous People Named Keyes

• Keyes DeWitt Metcalf American library pioneer
• Kirby Keyes Wilson American football coach

Keyes in Pop Culture

• Hayden Keyes character from TV series "Northern Exposure"
• Keyes chain of car dealerships in Los Angeles, California