Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Keeley

Keeley

♀ Girl

Pronounced KEE-lee /ˈkiː.li/Medium

Meaning: an anglicized form of the Irish surname Γ“ Caollaidhe; the element 'caol' means 'slender', and the name is often interpreted as 'graceful' or 'beautiful'Medium

In 30 seconds: Keeley is an anglicized Irish surname name, from O Caollaidhe, built on the root 'caol' meaning 'slender'. It is commonly read as 'graceful' or 'beautiful'.
πŸ’• Browse more names
Origin MediumIrish
Meaningan anglicized form of the Irish surname Γ“ Caollaidhe; the element 'caol' means 'slender', and the name is often interpreted as 'graceful' or 'beautiful'
U.S. rank (2024)#1569 β†˜ Falling
2024 U.S. births135 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2007
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 6,556

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 200719572024

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

History & Origin

Behind Keeley lies the Irish family name O Caollaidhe, smoothed into an English spelling that families now use as a first name. Its core element, 'caol', describes slenderness, and from that the name picked up the gentler readings of graceful and beautiful that people attach to it today. The shift from clan surname to given name is a familiar path for Irish names crossing into wider use.

The two long, soft syllables give it an unmistakably Irish lilt while staying easy for English speakers to say. It reads as warm and approachable, the kind of surname-turned-firstname that feels modern without losing its Gaelic roots.

Did you know? Keeley is a spelling variant of Keely, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'slender' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Keeley β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

β€”

Nicknames

β€”

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Keeley…

Keiraβ€” another anglicized Irish girls' name with the same airy two-syllable feel
Kellyβ€” an Irish surname-to-firstname with a comparable bright Gaelic ring

Frequently Asked

What does the name Keeley mean?

Keeley is usually explained as meaning 'slender' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Keeley?

It's commonly said KEE-lee /ˈkiː.li/.

Is Keeley a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Keeley is used as a girl name.

How popular is Keeley?

In 2024, Keeley ranked #1569 in the U.S. for girls, with 135 births recorded.