Kelli is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Kelli means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Kelli across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Kelli has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Kelli is a girl name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “bright-headed or strife”. A variant of Kelly, from the Irish surname O Ceallaigh.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 75,192 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 38 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 52 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 44 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Kelli per year, United States (1945 to 2025). United States peaked in 1970 (3,344/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (9/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2003 (8/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1982 (6/yr).
Kelli has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1970, when it ranked #219 nationally (given to 3,344 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1970s.
Kelly · Kellie · Kelley · Callie · Kali · Kaylie
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