Kelly

♀ Girl

Pronounced KEL-ee /ˈkɛl.i/High

Meaning: Anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname O'Ceallaigh, from ceallach meaning 'bright-headed', 'frequenting churches', or 'strife'; used predominantly as a girls name since the 1960s in the English-speaking worldMedium

In 30 seconds: Kelly is an Irish Gaelic surname meaning bright-headed or church-goer, one of Ireland's most common surnames turned into a massively popular American girls name in the 1960s–1980s. Actress Grace Kelly gave it glamour.

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Origin HighIrish Gaelic

MeaningAnglicized form of the Irish Gaelic surname O'Ceallaigh, from ceallach meaning 'bright-headed', 'frequenting churches', or 'strife'; used predominantly as a girls name since the 1960s in the English-speaking world

U.S. rank (2025)#852 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births319 girls (0.02% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1977

Total births (all-time)≈ 473,960

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Kelly is the anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic O'Ceallaigh, from ceallach. The meaning of ceallach is debated: it may mean 'bright-headed' or 'warrior', or relate to the Old Irish ceall (church), giving the interpretation 'one who frequents churches'. The name was common in early medieval Ireland, borne by saints and kings. Kelly is one of the top five most common Irish surnames.

Kelly began crossing from surname to given name in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora in America during the early 20th century. Actress Grace Kelly, who became Princess of Monaco in 1956, dramatically elevated the name's glamour and popularity. Kelly peaked as a girls name in the United States in the 1960s and 1970s, ranking in the top 20. It remains a familiar mid-century classic.

Did you know? Kelly is one of the most common surnames in Ireland — derived from Ceallach, an early Irish saint's name — and the transformation of Kelly from Irish surname to American girls first name is one of the most dramatic surname-to-given-name migrations of the 20th century.

Overall data confidence 84%

Behind the Name — Kelly — Irish Gaelic etymologyMacLysaght, E. — Irish Families — O'Ceallaigh surname history

Variations

KellieKelli

Nicknames

Kell

Famous Bearers

★Grace Kelly (1929–1982)
American actress who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Country Girl and became Princess of Monaco upon her marriage to Prince Rainier III.

If you like Kelly…

Stacey— same era of peak popularity and the two-syllable girls name feel

Tracy— shares the 1960s–1970s American girls name peak and the surname-to-first-name origin

Wendy— fellow two-syllable name that dominated American girls naming in the same era

Sharon— same mid-century American girls name generation

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kelly mean?

Kelly comes from Irish Gaelic ceallach, most likely meaning bright-headed or warrior, or relating to the church.

How do you pronounce Kelly?

It is said KEL-ee, with two syllables.

Is Kelly a girls or boys name?

Kelly is now predominantly a girls name in the U.S., though it originated as an Irish surname used for both sexes.

Is Kelly a popular name?

Kelly peaked in the top 20 U.S. girls names in the 1960s and 1970s and remains a familiar mid-century classic.