Biblical name meaning 'incense' or 'fragrance'; Abraham's second wife in Genesis.
Keturah is a Biblical name of Hebrew origin, most likely derived from the root *qatar* (קָטַר), meaning "to burn incense" or "fragrant smoke." The name thus evokes the rising of sacred smoke — offering, prayer made visible, something precious being given upward. It is one of the more poetically charged etymologies in the Hebrew naming tradition.
In Genesis 25, Keturah is introduced as Abraham's wife after the death of Sarah, and she bore him six sons — Zimran, Jokshan, Medan, Midian, Ishbak, and Shuah — ancestors of the Arabian and Midianite peoples. She is a foundational figure in Biblical genealogy, and yet her story occupies only a few verses, leaving her characterization largely to the imagination of commentators, poets, and storytellers. Some rabbinic traditions identified Keturah with Hagar, Abraham's first concubine, reunited with him in old age; others honored her as a distinct figure of great virtue.
The name was revived by English Puritans in the seventeenth century, who combed the Old Testament for names that felt both devout and uncommon. It carried quietly through American history in small religious communities before fading in the nineteenth century. Today it stands among a group of rare Biblical names — alongside Tirzah, Adah, and Zipporah — that are attracting parents who want deep scriptural roots, genuine rarity, and a name that sounds striking without being invented. The nickname Ketty or Rue adds a modern wearability.