Baby Name Popularity Profile

Kelsey

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

✦ Kelsi's island 🌍 English traditional
National Rank (2025) #814
All-Time Peak Rank #23 Achieved 1992
Total U.S. Births 150,416 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 2.0% Boy / 98.0% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1942 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1990s 11,713 births in 1992
💡 The Kelsey Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning Kelsi's island
Language Origin English
Origin Type single
Derived from an English surname, which was itself from a place name meaning 'Kelsi's island'.
Common Nicknames
Kels
Alternative Spellings
Kelsie Kelsy
Pronunciation: KEL-see
Themes & Categories
traditional
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Kelsey

According to SSA data, Kelsey achieved its highest historical rank of #23 in 1992. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1992 with 11,713 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 64.9%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 81 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Kelsey across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -64.9% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 11,713 births in 1992
Years in Top 100 15 yrs
Years in Top 500 39 yrs
Registry Streak 81 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 0
1920s: 0
1930s: 0
1940s: 41
1950s: 139
1960s: 226
1970s: 1,111
1980s: 27,758
1990s: 85,134
2000s: 23,380
2010s: 9,901
2020s: 2,726

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables Kel-sey
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: Longer than 25.7% 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 Kelsey.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Alaska
Top States Alaska, Oregon, Wyoming, Washington, New Hampshire
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Alaska Unranked 502 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon Unranked 2,417 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 359 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #1148 4,128 1989 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 797 1992 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 824 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 724 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #786 4,331 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #765 1,910 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa #536 3,046 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 1,660 1991 Insufficient historical volume
North Dakota Unranked 759 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 880 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 725 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 442 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 371 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Kansas Unranked 2,259 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado Unranked 2,464 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri #1007 4,472 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Tennessee #464 4,016 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #869 4,387 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #537 3,165 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #661 2,449 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 653 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland #445 2,665 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 763 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #976 2,050 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 511 1989 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #1017 6,234 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Virginia #988 3,712 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Wisconsin #666 3,229 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #728 7,439 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #897 5,351 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Connecticut #511 1,625 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #591 3,594 1992 66.7% Decline
Georgia #633 3,883 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana #842 2,496 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas Unranked 1,494 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #885 6,772 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama Unranked 2,383 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #867 9,709 1992 26.1% Decline
South Carolina Unranked 1,846 1992 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #1212 3,645 1993 74.1% Decline
Pennsylvania #789 6,676 1993 64.7% Decline
New Jersey #690 3,365 1992 Insufficient historical volume
California #868 12,124 1991 34.6% Decline
West Virginia Unranked 1,100 1994 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 1,404 1994 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 567 1993 Insufficient historical volume
New York #688 6,121 1992 54.7% Decline
District of Columbia Unranked 201 1992 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

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👧 Sister Suggestions
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