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Home › Baby Names Directory › Kelsey

Kelsey

♂ Boy

Pronounced KEL-see /ˈkɛl.si/Medium

Meaning: From an Old English surname/place-name, variously 'Cenel's island' or 'victorious ship' (from ceol, 'ship', + sige, 'victory'); more commonly a girl's name; here listed as a boy's; we note the leanLow

In 30 seconds: Victorious ship; Cenel's island: Kelsey is an English surname (more often a girl's). Crisp and warm (said 'KEL-see'). We note the lean.
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningFrom an Old English surname/place-name, variously 'Cenel's island' or 'victorious ship' (from ceol, 'ship', + sige, 'victory'); more commonly a girl's name; here listed as a boy's; we note the lean
U.S. rank (2025)#6286 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births14 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1989
Total births (all-time)≈ 5,322

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198918912025

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

Kelsey comes from an Old English surname/place-name, variously 'Cenel's island' or 'victorious ship' (from ceol, 'ship', + sige, 'victory'); more commonly a girl's name (here listed as a boy's; we note the lean). A crisp name (said 'KEL-see').

In the U.S. it appears rarely as a boy's name; it leans female. Rare here, victorious-ship at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Kelsey is variously 'Cenel's island' or 'victorious ship' from an Old English surname (ceol, 'ship', + sige, 'victory') — more commonly a girl's name — here listed as a boy's (we note the lean; said 'KEL-see').
Overall data confidence 38%
References — Kelsey — English surname; leans female; here M

Variations

KelceyKelsy

Nicknames

Kel

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kelsey…

Kelby— a kin Kel- surname-name
Ramsey— a rhyming -sey name
Lindsey— a fellow -sey surname-name
Halsey— a companion -sey name

Explore names like Kelsey

By themeenglishcross-sex

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kelsey mean?

Kelsey is an English surname-name, variously 'Cenel's island' or 'victorious ship'; more commonly a girl's name.

How do you pronounce Kelsey?

It's said KEL-see /ˈkɛl.si/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kelsey a boy or girl name?

Kelsey is listed here as a boy's name, though it is more often a girl's name.

How popular is Kelsey?

Kelsey is a rare name in the U.S. as a boy's name.

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