Kelly is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Kelly means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Kelly across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Kelly has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Kelly is a girl name of Irish (Gaelic) origin meaning “bright-headed, strife”. originally an Irish surname.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 556,365 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 4,328 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 6,303 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 146 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 3,357 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 6,195 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 Kelly per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1968 (20,197/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (789/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1980 (467/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1996 (171/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1997 (23/yr).
Kelly has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1968, when it ranked #29 nationally (given to 20,197 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1960s.
Kelli · Kellie · Kelley · Kailey
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