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Kelton

♂ Boy

Pronounced KEL-tun /ˈkɛl.tən/High

Meaning: Keel town; from Old English coel (a keel, a ship's keel) + tun (settlement) — a place name for a settlement near a harbor where ships were builtMedium

In 30 seconds: An Old English place-name surname possibly meaning 'keel town' or 'ship town,' from coel (keel) and tun (settlement). A maritime surname name with the same confident feel as Colton, Dalton, and Easton.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningKeel town; from Old English coel (a keel, a ship's keel) + tun (settlement) — a place name for a settlement near a harbor where ships were built

U.S. rank (2024)#2451 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births56 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2002

Total births (all-time)≈ 6,604

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Kelton is an Old English place-name surname, possibly from coel (keel, the structural spine of a boat) + tun (settlement). It may refer to a harbor settlement where ships were built or maintained. As a given name it is a modern American surname-to-first-name transfer.

Kelton ranked #2451 for boys in 2024. Its use reflects the trend for -ton ending surname names.

Did you know? A ship's keel is its central structural spine — the backbone of the vessel from stem to stern. The phrase 'on an even keel' comes from the importance of the keel in keeping a ship stable; it has entered everyday English to mean balanced and steady, giving Kelton a hidden idiom of stability.

Overall data confidence 79%

U.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

ColtonKelten

Nicknames

Kelt

Famous Bearers

★Kelton Pell
Aboriginal Australian stage, film and television actor
★Kelton Garwood (1930-1991)
American actor known as undertaker Percy Crump on Gunsmoke

If you like Kelton…

Colton— two-syllable Old English -ton surname in the same popular category

Dalton— two-syllable -ton place-name surname in the same tradition

Easton— two-syllable Old English -ton place-name surname

Weston— two-syllable -ton Old English place-name

Explore names like Kelton

By themeenglish two-syllable surname-style

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Kelton mean?

Kelton possibly means 'keel town,' from Old English coel (keel of a ship) + tun (settlement) — a maritime harbor settlement.

How do you pronounce Kelton?

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

Is Kelton a boy or girl name?

Kelton is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Kelton?

Kelton ranked #2451 for U.S. boys in 2024.