Kelley
Kelley is a variant of the Irish surname Kelly.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Kelley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kelley is a variant of the Irish surname Kelly.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Kelley
As a girl name
American parents first put Kelley on the record books as a girl name in 1919, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1968, when 1,918 Kelleys were born — ranking #168 that year. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Kelleys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #7,780 among girl names with 13 births, falling sharply (-37%). In total, more than 46K Kelleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Kelley on the record books as a boy name in 1882, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1968, when 168 Kelleys were born — ranking #588 that year. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 22% of all recorded Kelleys. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #7,555 among boy names with 8 births, falling sharply (-43%). In total, more than 6K Kelleys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Kelley
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Kelley. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Kelley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kelley is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Kelley
What does the name Kelley mean?
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In which U.S. states is Kelley most popular?
Is Kelley a unisex name?
What names go well with Kelley?
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About the name Kelley
Kelley is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1919 and has accumulated 46K births in the dataset. Kelley's peak popularity came in 1968 when it ranked #168. Use the chart and map above to compare Kelley's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1968 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.