Where does the name Kelly come from?

Kelly is a girl name of Irish origin.

Is Kelly a boy or a girl name?

Kelly is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 85% of children given the name Kelly are girls and 15% are boys.

How popular is the name Kelly in 2023?

Kelly ranks #779 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1968 with 20,197 babies.

How do you pronounce Kelly?

Kelly is pronounced KEL-ee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Kelly?

Kelly is also written as Kelley, Kellie, Kelli.

A name from Irish · Girl

Kelly

Anglicized form of Irish Ó Ceallaigh, 'descendant of Ceallach' — meaning 'bright-headed' or 'warrior'. Began as a surname, then became a unisex given name; now predominantly feminine in the U.S.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

473,334 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

456 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

KAnglicized form of Irish Ó Ceallaigh, 'descendant of Ceallach' — meaning 'bright-headed' or 'warrior'. Began as a surname, then became a unisex given name; now predominantly feminine in the U.S.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Kelly".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Kelley Most common Kellie Kelli

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Kelly.

K
Kelly Clarkson (singer)
K
Grace Kelly (actress and Princess of Monaco)
K
Kelly Ripa (TV host)

Quick answers

People often ask about Kelly.

What does the name Kelly mean?: Kelly means anglicized form of Irish Ó Ceallaigh, 'descendant of Ceallach' — meaning 'bright-headed' or 'warrior'. Began as a surname, then became a unisex given name; now predominantly feminine in the U.S.
Where does the name Kelly come from?: Kelly is a girl name of Irish origin.
Is Kelly a boy or a girl name?: Kelly is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 85% of children given the name Kelly are girls and 15% are boys.
How popular is the name Kelly in 2023?: Kelly ranks #779 for girls in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 1968 with 20,197 babies.
How do you pronounce Kelly?: Kelly is pronounced KEL-ee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Kelly?: Kelly is also written as Kelley, Kellie, Kelli.

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Anglicized form of Irish Caitlín, itself from French Cateline (a medieval form of Katherine), ultimately from Greek Aikaterinē — traditionally linked to katharos ('pure')

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Variant spelling of Brian — from Old Irish bri meaning 'hill' or, by extension, 'noble' or 'strong'

Shannon

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From the Shannon, the longest river in Ireland — from Old Irish Sionann, possibly meaning 'old/wise river' or 'the goddess Sinann'

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Anglicized spelling of Irish Seán, itself the Irish form of John (Hebrew Yochanan, 'God is gracious')

Erin

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From the Irish Éirinn, the dative form of Éire — the poetic name for Ireland itself, from a primordial Gaelic goddess associated with the land

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.