Unisex · #12,301 in 2026

Telly

Current Rank
#12,301
Peak Rank
#468 (1974)
Total Babies
2K
5-Yr Trend
Stable
👧 Girl peak #3,514 (82 total)
👦 Boy peak #468 (2K total)
👦As Boy Name
1967
First Year
2024
Last Year
1974
Peak Year
#468
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
49
Years Active
👧As Girl Name
1969
First Year
1978
Last Year
1975
Peak Year
#3514
Peak Rank
82
Total Count
7
Years Active

The Story of Telly

As a girl name

Telly first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1969, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1975, when 19 Tellys were born — ranking #3,514 that year. As of 2026, Telly ranks #6,946 for girls with 8 births, with steady use. In total, more than 82 Tellys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

As a boy name

Telly first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1967, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1974, when 294 Tellys were born — ranking #468 that year. As of 2026, Telly ranks #12,301 for boys with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 2K Tellys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Girls Boys

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Telly

Phonetically similar names — useful when Telly 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 Telly

What does the name Telly mean?
Telly is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1967. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.
How popular is Telly in 2026?
In 2026, Telly ranks #12,301 among boys' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Telly most popular?
Telly reached its peak popularity in 1974, ranking #468 that year with 294 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Telly most popular?
Telly has historically been most popular in South Carolina, Georgia, North Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Telly.
Is Telly a unisex name?
Yes — Telly is used for both girls and boys in U.S. records, with about 5% of Tellys assigned female and 95% assigned male historically.
What names go well with Telly?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Telly include Bernie, Case, Braiden. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Telly

Telly is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1967 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Telly's peak popularity came in 1974 when it ranked #468. Use the chart and map above to compare Telly's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.