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“Descendant of Ceallach, a name of uncertain meaning (perhaps bright-headed)” — Irish Gaelic origin
Boy's name · #1881 in the US (2025) · Retro
Kelly's best rank, #97, came in 1968; it has stepped well back to #1881 today. Roughly 82,000 boys have been named Kelly since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records. About 76% of babies named Kelly in recent years have been girls. Kelly's short forms are Kel and Kell.
Around the world: about 1 in 12,000 boys in Canada (2024).
Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 11 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.
Among 1,529 notable people named Kelly:
Sports figures appear 1.9× more often than among typical names — e.g. Kelly Olynyk, Canadian basketball player.
Similar names: Dwayne · Kent · Rylee · Craig · Kerry · Barry
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