Kelso
Kelso is a surname and a given name. It is of British origin with Scottish and English roots. Earlier form Calchow, from Middle Welsh Calchvynyð, "lime mountain".
Meaning & Origin of Kelso
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Kelso is a surname and a given name. It is of British origin with Scottish and English roots. Earlier form Calchow, from Middle Welsh Calchvynyð, "lime mountain".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Kelso
Kelso first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1915, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 26 Kelsos were born — ranking #4,133 that year. As of 2026, Kelso ranks #4,133 for baby boys with 26 births, rising sharply (+72% over the past five years). In total, more than 424 Kelsos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Kelso
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Kelso Roberts , Canadian politician
- Kelso Cochrane (~1936-1959), Antiguan immigrant to Britain whose murder sparked tensions in London
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Kelso
Phonetically similar names — useful when Kelso 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 Kelso
What does the name Kelso mean?
How popular is Kelso in 2026?
When was Kelso most popular?
In which U.S. states is Kelso most popular?
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About the name Kelso
Kelso is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 424 births in the dataset. Kelso's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #2,368. Use the chart and map above to compare Kelso's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "K" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.