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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kelii

Kelii

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Kelii

Pronounced keh-LEE-ee /keˈliː.iː/Medium

Meaning: Kelii comes from the Hawaiian ke alii, 'the chief' or 'the lord' - ke, the definite article 'the,' joined to alii, 'chief' or 'noble.' It is a dignified heritage name honoring rank and leadership in Hawaiian tradition.Low

In 30 seconds: Kelii is a Hawaiian boy's name meaning 'the chief' or 'the lord,' from ke alii. It appears in later US records (said keh-LEE-ee).
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Origin MediumHawaiian
MeaningKelii comes from the Hawaiian ke alii, 'the chief' or 'the lord' - ke, the definite article 'the,' joined to alii, 'chief' or 'noble.' It is a dignified heritage name honoring rank and leadership in Hawaiian tradition.
U.S. rank (2023)#11561 ↗ Rising
2023 U.S. births6 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1990
Total births (all-time)≈ 261
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199019732023

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

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kelii is a Hawaiian name meaning 'the chief' or 'the lord,' formed from ke, 'the,' and alii, 'chief' or 'noble.' It is an inherited heritage name honoring Hawaiian ideas of rank, and it appears in US Social Security records mainly among Hawaiian families in the later twentieth century.

It was never common in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak around 1990. A boy named Kelii then is in his mid-thirties today.

Did you know? The word alii named the ruling chiefly class of old Hawaii, so Kelii carries a genuine sense of nobility and leadership rather than a coined meaning.
Overall data confidence 60%
References - Kelii — Hawaiian ke alii 'the chief/the lord'; heritage name; plain-Latin, no okina; handled respectfully.

Variations

KealiiKaleiKeali

Nicknames

KelLee

Famous Bearers

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If you like Kelii…

Kaleo— a like Hawaiian ke- name
Keanu— a shared Hawaiian origin and sound
Kekoa— another Hawaiian ke- name of similar rhythm
Makoa— a comparable Hawaiian boy's name

Explore names like Kelii

By themeheritagenoblehawaiianmasculine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kelii mean?

It is a Hawaiian boy's name meaning 'the chief' or 'the lord,' from ke alii.

How do you pronounce Kelii?

It is said keh-LEE-ee /keˈliː.iː/ - three syllables, stress on the second.

Is Kelii a boy or girl name?

Kelii is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Kelii?

It was always rare in the United States, given to only about fifteen boys a year even at its peak in the nineteen-nineties.

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