Overview
Keshava (Sanskrit: केशव, IAST: Keśava) is an epithet of the Hindu deity Vishnu. The name is variously interpreted to mean "one who has beautiful long hair" or "the slayer of Keshi", linking the appellation to both an aspect of Vishnu's appearance and to a narrative episode associated with the slaying of the demon Keshi.
The name occurs prominently in the Vishnu Sahasranama, a litany of the thousand names of Vishnu preserved in the Mahabharata. Within this text, Keshava is enumerated as the 23rd and again as the 648th name, indicating its significance in the devotional and liturgical recitation of Vishnu's attributes.
In Hindu tradition, Keshava is also invoked by devotees seeking to avert misfortune or ill-omens. The consort associated with this form is Kirti, an aspect of Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune and prosperity. Keshava is recognised as one of the iconographical forms of Vishnu, and is depicted accordingly in temple imagery and devotional art.
References
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article on Keshava.