Kelley
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
Every Kelley since 1882 — 52,385 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Kelley
Kelley is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #7,322 in 2025 with 15 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 52,385 American babies have been named Kelley — about 88% girls and 12% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1968, when 2,086 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Kelley stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Kelley year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | #7,322 | 9 | #8,601 |
| 2024 | 17 | #6,804 | 8 | #9,445 |
| 2023 | 17 | #6,796 | 14 | #6,359 |
| 2022 | 17 | #6,855 | 12 | #7,038 |
| 2021 | 20 | #6,068 | 19 | #5,027 |
| 2020 | 29 | #4,607 | 15 | #5,846 |
| 2019 | 24 | #5,374 | 19 | #5,058 |
| 2018 | 29 | #4,713 | 20 | #4,845 |
| 2017 | 22 | #5,748 | 16 | #5,668 |
| 2016 | 22 | #5,891 | 18 | #5,231 |
| 2015 | 28 | #4,921 | 15 | #5,881 |
| 2014 | 39 | #3,882 | 9 | #8,482 |
| 2013 | 27 | #5,073 | 18 | #5,079 |
| 2012 | 46 | #3,499 | 15 | #5,859 |
| 2011 | 38 | #3,963 | 22 | #4,439 |
| 2010 | 54 | #3,097 | 17 | #5,371 |
| 2009 | 54 | #3,148 | 16 | #5,703 |
| 2008 | 63 | #2,842 | 21 | #4,632 |
| 2007 | 65 | #2,805 | 20 | #4,726 |
| 2006 | 89 | #2,174 | 22 | #4,304 |
| 2005 | 73 | #2,419 | 16 | #5,165 |
| 2004 | 106 | #1,803 | 19 | #4,513 |
| 2003 | 129 | #1,514 | 24 | #3,682 |
| 2002 | 171 | #1,194 | 20 | #4,127 |
| 2001 | 155 | #1,272 | 32 | #2,900 |
| 2000 | 206 | #1,024 | 31 | #2,893 |
| 1995 | 420 | #556 | 37 | #2,195 |
| 1990 | 887 | #308 | 59 | #1,480 |
| 1985 | 761 | #315 | 75 | #1,072 |
| 1980 | 1,084 | #236 | 111 | #839 |
| 1975 | 1,169 | #211 | 101 | #828 |
| 1970 | 1,497 | #212 | 132 | #716 |
| 1965 | 1,461 | #222 | 110 | #714 |
| 1960 | 1,004 | #289 | 155 | #627 |
| 1955 | 90 | #1,066 | 74 | #859 |
| 1950 | 23 | #2,024 | 46 | #1,045 |
| 1945 | 13 | #2,534 | 36 | #1,095 |
| 1940 | 5 | #4,709 | 30 | #1,239 |
| 1935 | — | — | 37 | #1,068 |
| 1930 | — | — | 25 | #1,481 |
| 1925 | — | — | 30 | #1,349 |
| 1920 | 5 | #5,359 | 46 | #1,026 |
| 1915 | — | — | 33 | #1,137 |
| 1910 | — | — | 11 | #1,012 |
| 1905 | — | — | 8 | #966 |
| 1900 | — | — | 17 | #609 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 5 | #1,083 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Kelley
- Kelley O'Hara Soccer player · b. 1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Kelley mean?
A unisex given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Kelley in 2025?
Kelley ranked #7,322 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 15 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Kelley?
52,385 babies have been named Kelley in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Kelley most popular?
Kelley peaked in 1968, when 2,086 newborns received the name.
Is Kelley a boy or girl name?
Kelley is used for both: about 88% of babies named Kelley have been girls and 12% boys.
Is the name Kelley rising or falling?
Kelley is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Kelley?
Well-known people named Kelley include Kelley O'Hara (soccer player).