Kelly
Borrowed from Irish Ó Ceallaigh.
Every Kelly since 1880 — 556,365 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kelly
Kelly is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #852 in 2025 with 319 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 556,365 American babies have been named Kelly — about 85% girls and 15% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1968, when 20,197 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kelly stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kelly year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 319 | #852 | 84 | #1,881 |
| 2024 | 312 | #867 | 109 | #1,586 |
| 2023 | 362 | #779 | 94 | #1,753 |
| 2022 | 347 | #809 | 122 | #1,486 |
| 2021 | 324 | #850 | 114 | #1,542 |
| 2020 | 366 | #746 | 110 | #1,520 |
| 2019 | 448 | #652 | 107 | #1,570 |
| 2018 | 486 | #618 | 103 | #1,597 |
| 2017 | 504 | #597 | 115 | #1,473 |
| 2016 | 605 | #515 | 118 | #1,460 |
| 2015 | 675 | #480 | 104 | #1,560 |
| 2014 | 740 | #433 | 105 | #1,528 |
| 2013 | 849 | #369 | 103 | #1,543 |
| 2012 | 892 | #357 | 106 | #1,521 |
| 2011 | 944 | #336 | 108 | #1,501 |
| 2010 | 1,061 | #306 | 101 | #1,571 |
| 2009 | 1,251 | #261 | 140 | #1,261 |
| 2008 | 1,399 | #248 | 113 | #1,459 |
| 2007 | 1,569 | #222 | 154 | #1,156 |
| 2006 | 1,611 | #212 | 139 | #1,208 |
| 2005 | 1,952 | #175 | 127 | #1,250 |
| 2004 | 2,357 | #138 | 160 | #1,026 |
| 2003 | 2,736 | #125 | 146 | #1,067 |
| 2002 | 2,852 | #119 | 185 | #884 |
| 2001 | 2,814 | #124 | 174 | #903 |
| 2000 | 3,077 | #111 | 202 | #799 |
| 1995 | 5,398 | #64 | 357 | #536 |
| 1990 | 8,137 | #41 | 687 | #351 |
| 1985 | 11,031 | #28 | 890 | #254 |
| 1980 | 13,710 | #19 | 1,183 | #210 |
| 1975 | 11,735 | #16 | 1,644 | #150 |
| 1970 | 14,607 | #20 | 2,494 | #135 |
| 1965 | 12,763 | #30 | 2,258 | #136 |
| 1960 | 8,673 | #52 | 2,934 | #128 |
| 1955 | 539 | #380 | 1,250 | #204 |
| 1950 | 97 | #904 | 488 | #307 |
| 1945 | 51 | #1,106 | 240 | #385 |
| 1940 | 24 | #1,613 | 142 | #485 |
| 1935 | 13 | #2,370 | 125 | #515 |
| 1930 | 13 | #2,485 | 117 | #556 |
| 1925 | 15 | #2,438 | 121 | #562 |
| 1920 | 11 | #3,002 | 121 | #566 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,614 | 101 | #566 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,286 | 46 | #386 |
| 1905 | — | — | 11 | #771 |
| 1900 | — | — | 33 | #390 |
| 1895 | — | — | 23 | #406 |
| 1890 | — | — | 11 | #621 |
| 1885 | — | — | 15 | #492 |
| 1880 | — | — | 5 | #995 |
Famous people named Kelly
- Kelly Preston Actor · 1962–2020
- Kelly Lynch Actor · b. 1959
- Kelly Bishop Actor · b. 1944
- Kelly McGillis Actor · b. 1957
- Kelly Hu Actor · b. 1968
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kelly mean?
Borrowed from Irish Ó Ceallaigh.
How popular is the name Kelly in 2025?
Kelly ranked #852 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 319 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kelly?
556,365 babies have been named Kelly in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kelly most popular?
Kelly peaked in 1968, when 20,197 newborns received the name.
Is Kelly a boy or girl name?
Kelly is used for both: about 85% of babies named Kelly have been girls and 15% boys.
Is the name Kelly rising or falling?
Kelly is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kelly?
Well-known people named Kelly include Kelly Preston (actor), Kelly Lynch (actor), Kelly Bishop (actor).