Baby Name Popularity Profile

Kelly

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Kelly.

✦ War or strife 🌍 Irish traditional
National Rank (2025) #852
All-Time Peak Rank #10 Achieved 1977
Total U.S. Births 473,965 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 12.3% Boy / 87.7% Girl Leans Female
First Recorded 1907 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1970s 18,234 births in 1977
💡 The Kelly Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning War or strife
Language Origin Irish
Origin Type single
Derived from the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh, meaning 'descendant of Ceallach'. Ceallach is thought to mean 'bright-headed' or 'frequent war/strife'.
Common Nicknames
Kel
Alternative Spellings
Kelli Kellie
Pronunciation: KEL-ee
Themes & Categories
traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Kelly

According to SSA data, Kelly achieved its highest historical rank of #10 in 1977. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1977 with 18,234 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 52.7%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 112 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Kelly across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -52.7% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 18,234 births in 1977
Years in Top 100 41 yrs
Years in Top 500 63 yrs
Registry Streak 112 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 17
1910s: 73
1920s: 118
1930s: 127
1940s: 559
1950s: 15,358
1960s: 128,053
1970s: 133,545
1980s: 109,539
1990s: 55,724
2000s: 21,618
2010s: 7,204
2020s: 2,030

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Ke-lly
Letter Count 5 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 7.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 7.7% of SSA names. Starts with K, a letter used by only 7.8% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Kelly.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Delaware
Top States Delaware, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connecticut, Wisconsin
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Delaware Unranked 1,640 1978 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 2,280 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 1,153 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #510 7,331 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin Unranked 13,268 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan Unranked 25,024 1969 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #988 18,075 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #483 9,859 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota Unranked 11,985 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 904 1962 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio Unranked 29,328 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 2,649 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 786 1960 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #1060 31,061 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #460 13,759 1969 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #985 13,143 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #964 27,035 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri Unranked 11,934 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 1,951 1969 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 6,733 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 1,526 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado Unranked 5,975 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon Unranked 4,372 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #731 10,878 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 3,518 1977 Insufficient historical volume
New York #468 36,710 1968 +23.3% Growth
California #678 47,515 1963 31.3% Decline
Florida #664 16,170 1978 13.3% Decline
District of Columbia Unranked 2,043 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #860 7,338 1968 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 1,390 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 4,409 1962 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia Unranked 3,702 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 1,321 1986 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #1211 11,305 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #866 4,621 1978 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 1,276 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky Unranked 6,356 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 6,457 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 1,365 1963 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 1,145 1978 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #1464 9,393 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #578 4,540 1963 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #784 7,039 1977 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 1,717 1963 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #587 4,576 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #886 22,375 1977 19.5% Decline
Alabama Unranked 5,200 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas Unranked 2,988 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Utah Unranked 2,242 1977 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 2,613 1978 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Scottie Lance Heath Jason Brian Andre Damon Jamie Benji Abdul
👧 Sister Suggestions
Jamie Darcy Tara Janelle Lea Aisha Heidi Angie Sonia Jenny

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