Kelly
A girls’ name of Irish origin, meaning bright-headed or warrior; from O Ceallaigh.
Babies a year
610
the US, 2017
Rarity
Uncommon
among names in use
US popularity
#852
up from #868
UK popularity
#2006
14 babies
How Kelly has moved
View as table
| Year | US rank |
|---|---|
| 2015 | #479 |
| 2016 | #515 |
| 2017 | #598 |
| 2018 | #618 |
| 2019 | #655 |
| 2020 | #746 |
| 2021 | #850 |
| 2022 | #805 |
| 2023 | #773 |
| 2024 | #868 |
| 2025 | #852 |
In 2025, 14 babies in England and Wales were named Kelly. In the US, 610 were, though that figure is from 2017 — the most recent full year we hold. Its US peak was 18,235 in 1977.
Looking further back: between 1880 and 2008, Kelly was most common in 1970, when it went to 0.80% of American babies of that sex.
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