Keita is a surname. The Malian family name is normally written Keïta, sometimes Kéita. Kéïta is a

hypercorrection In sociolinguistics, hypercorrection is non-standard use of language that results from the over-application of a perceived rule of language-usage prescription. A speaker or writer who produces a hypercorrection generally believes through a mi ...

. In reference to non-modern figures, or in anglophone countries such as The Gambia and Liberia the

tréma The diaeresis ( ; is a diacritical mark used to indicate the separation of two distinct vowels in adjacent syllables when an instance of diaeresis (or hiatus) occurs, so as to distinguish from a digraph or diphthong. It consists of two dots ...

( ¨ ) or

acute accent The acute accent (), , is a diacritic used in many modern written languages with alphabets based on the Latin, Cyrillic, and Greek scripts. For the most commonly encountered uses of the accent in the Latin and Greek alphabets, precomposed ch ...

( ´ ) is not used. Notable people with the surname include:

Politics

Aoua Kéita Aoua Kéita (12 July 1912 in Bamako, French Sudan – 7 May 1980 in Bamako, Mali) was a Malian independence activist, politician and writer. Biography She was born in Bamako in what was then French Sudan. Her father, Karamogo Kéita, was from Guin ...

(1912–1980), Malian independence activist and writer *

Bintou Keita Bintou Keita (born 1958) is a United Nations diplomat from Guinea. She is an expert in conflict resolution. Since January 2021, she has been the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Early life ...

(born 1958), UN Diplomat *

Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta (; 29 January 1945 – 16 January 2022), often known by his initials IBK, was a Malian politician who served as the president of Mali from September 2013 to August 2020, when he was forced to resign in the 2020 Malian co ...

(1945–2022), Malian politician *

Karim Keïta Karim Keïta (born 1979) is a Malian politician and businessman. He is a member of the National Assembly (Mali), National Assembly since 2013. Keïta is the son of former Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta. Career Karim Keïta was born in ...

(born 1979), Malian politician, son of the above *

Modibo Keïta Modibo Keïta (4 June 1915 – 16 May 1977) was the first President of Mali (1960–1968) and the Prime Minister of the Mali Federation. He espoused a form of African socialism. Youth Keïta was born in Bamako-Coura, a neighborhood of Bama ...

(1915–1977), first President of Mali *

Modibo Keita Modibo or more correctlyMoodibbo in Fula or Fulfulde Orthography is a given name in some Fulɓe or Fulani regions, while in some regions it's used as a form of respect which means a learned scholar. Others are named moodibbo after one's parents or g ...

(1942–2021), Malian politician and former Prime Minister *

Sundiata Keita Sundiata Keita ( Mandinka, Malinke: ; 1217 – c. 1255) (also known as Manding Diara, Lion of Mali, Sogolon Djata, son of Sogolon, Nare Maghan and Sogo Sogo Simbon Salaba) was a prince and founder of the Mali Empire. He is also the great-uncle ...

(c. 1217 – c. 1255), founder of the Mali Empire ** Keita dynasty, ruling dynasty of the

Mali Empire The Mali Empire ( Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or Manden; ar, مالي, Māl ...

Entertainment

* Balla Moussa Keïta (1934–2001), Malian actor and comedian *

Mamady Keïta Mamady Keïta (August 1950 – 21 June 2021) was a drummer from the West African nation of Guinea. He specialized in the ''djembe''. He was also the founder of the ''Tam Tam Mandingue'' school of drumming. He was a member of the Mandinka peopl ...

(1950–2021), Guinean master drummer *

Mamani Keïta Assitan Keïta, popularly known as Mamani Keïta (born 20 October 1965, in Bamako) is a singer and musician from Mali. "Mamani" literally means "grandmother". She was raised speaking Bambara, and was a backup singer for Salif Keita. She is best ...

(born 1965), Malian singer *

Salif Keita Salif Keïta () (born 25 August 1949) is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Voice of Africa". He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali. Biography Early life Salif Keita was born a traditional prince in the village o ...

(born 1949), Malian singer-songwriter *

Seckou Keita Seckou Keita (born 14 February 1978) is a kora player and drummer from Senegal. He is one of the few champions of the lesser-known kora repertoire from Casamance in southern Senegal. Musical career Keita was born in Ziguinchor, Senegal. Thro ...

(born 1978), Senegalese musician *

Seydou Keïta Seydou Keïta (1921/23 – 21 November 2001) was a Malian photographer known for his portraits of people and families he took at his portrait photography studio in Mali's capital, Bamako, in the 1950s. His photographs are widely acknowledged not ...

(1921–2001), Malian self-taught portrait photographer

Sport

* Abdoulaye Keita, Guinean footballer and coach *

Abdoulaye Khouma Keita Abdoulaye Khouma Keita (born 23 October 1978, in Rufisque) is a Senegalese former professional Association football, footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He made one appearance for the Senegal national football team, Senegal national ...

(born 1978), Senegalese footballer *

Abdul Kader Keïta Abdul Kader Keïta (born 6 August 1981) is an Ivorian former professional footballer who played as a winger. He represented the Ivory Coast national football team from 2000 to 2012. Club career Keïta, also known as 'Popito', began his career ...

(born 1981), Ivorian footballer * Adama Kéïta (born 1990), Malian footballer * Alhassane Keita (born 1983), Guinean footballer * Alphousseyni Keita (born 1985), Malian footballer * Brahima Keita (born 1985), Ivorian footballer *

Brima Keita Brima Keita is a Sierra Leonean football manager; and he is currently the manager of Sierra Leone National Premier League Sierra Leone National Premier League is a professional football league in Sierra Leone. It was founded in 1967. The leagu ...

, Sierra Leonean football manager * Cheick Keita (born 1996), Malian footballer * Daba Modibo Keïta (born 1981), Malian Olympic taekwondo athlete * Fadel Keïta (born 1977), Ivorian footballer *

Fantamady Keita Fantamady Keita (born 25 September 1949) is a Malian former professional Association football, footballer who played as a Striker (association football), striker. A Mali national football team, Malian international, he was the leading scorer in ...

(born 1949), Malian footballer *

Idrissa Keita Idrissa Keita (born 10 April 1977) is an Ivorian former professional Association football, footballer who played as a midfielder. He also held Spanish nationality law, Spanish citizenship. Club career Keita was born in Abidjan. After starring fo ...

(born 1977), Ivorian footballer * Ismaël Keïta (born 1990), Malian footballer * Karounga Keïta (born 1941), Malian footballer, coach and official *

Ladji Keita Ladji Keita (born 29 April 1983, in Dakar) is a Senegalese retired professional footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association footb ...

, (born 1983), Senegalese footballer * Mohamed Keita (footballer) (born 1991), Guinean footballer * Muhamed Keita (born 1990), Norwegian footballer *

Naby Keïta Naby Laye Keïta (born 10 February 1995) is a Guinean professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for club Liverpool and the Guinea national team. Keïta began his professional career with Ligue 2 club FC Istres in 2013, and a ...

(born 1995), Guinean footballer *

Naman Keïta Naman Keïta (born 9 April 1978 in Paris, France) is a track and field athlete, who takes part in the 400 m hurdles and 4 x 400m relay, competing internationally for France. He won the 4x400m relay gold medal at the 2003 World Champion ...

(born 1978), French Olympic track and field athlete *

Nantenin Keïta Nantenin Keïta (born 5 November 1984, in Bamako) is a French athlete who competes mainly in Paralympic category T13 sprint events. She is the daughter of the Malian musician Salif Keita and thus a direct descendant of the founder of the Mali E ...

(born 1984), French Paralympic athlete * Salif Keïta (born 1946), former Malian footballer *

(born 1975), Senegalese footballer * Sega Keita (born 1992), Senegalese footballer * Sekou Keita (born 1979), Liberian former footballer *

Seydou Keita Seydou Keïta (; anglicised to Keita; born 16 January 1980) is a Malian former footballer. A versatile midfielder, he operated as both a central or defensive midfielder. Keita most notably played for Lens (five seasons) and Barcelona (four), w ...

(born 1980), Malian footballer * Sidi Yaya Keita (born 1985), Malian footballer * Souleymane Keïta (born 1986), Malian footballer * Souleymane Keita (born 1987), Senegalese footballer * Tidjan Keita (born 1996), French-Guinean basketball player in the

Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional sports, professional competition in Israeli sports club, club basketball, making ...

{{surname, Keita Surnames of Mandinka origin