Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1970

Kelli

Gender Girl Rank 2025 #6,690

A female given name transferred from the surname, variant of Kelly.

Rank 2025
#6,690
among girls · ↑730 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
17
named Kelli
How common
1 in 94,545
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1970
3,344 babies
All-time total
75,192
#462 all-time among girls
First recorded
1945
in Social Security records

Kelli popularity over time

75,192 babies have been named Kelli since 1945, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.631.251.882.518801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s 19 – 19 2 – #3,755
1950s 1,986 – 1,986 199 +10353% #346
1960s 16,867 52 16,919 1,692 +752% #115
1970s 21,540 97 21,637 2,164 +28% #115
1980s 21,049 126 21,175 2,118 -2% #125
1990s 10,237 26 10,263 1,026 -52% #182
2000s 2,570 – 2,570 257 -75% #538
2010s 490 – 490 49 -81% #2,465
2020s (to 2025) 133 – 133 22 -55% #4,315

The story of Kelli

Kelli is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #6,690 in 2025 with 17 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1945, 75,192 American babies have been named Kelli. Its peak came in 1970, when 3,344 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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 Kelli stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Kelli?

The median living Kelli is about 46 years old; half are between 38 and 55. An estimated 72 thousand people named Kelli are alive in the United States today.

median 46 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Kelli 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 17 #6,690 – –
2024 15 #7,420 – –
2023 22 #5,651 – –
2022 24 #5,399 – –
2021 23 #5,481 – –
2020 32 #4,315 – –
2019 39 #3,824 – –
2018 37 #3,967 – –
2017 30 #4,633 – –
2016 40 #3,819 – –
2015 41 #3,734 – –
2014 52 #3,164 – –
2013 42 #3,672 – –
2012 66 #2,696 – –
2011 67 #2,650 – –
2010 76 #2,465 – –
2009 98 #2,082 – –
2008 118 #1,833 – –
2007 129 #1,699 – –
2006 152 #1,464 – –
2005 194 #1,187 – –
2004 260 #927 – –
2003 320 #776 – –
2002 368 #682 – –
2001 448 #573 – –
2000 483 #538 – –
1995 923 #301 – –
1990 1,605 #182 11 #4,849
1985 2,059 #142 10 #4,211
1980 2,486 #125 16 #2,894
1975 1,768 #152 10 #3,550
1970 3,331 #115 13 #2,683
1965 1,538 #215 7 #3,408
1960 955 #301 – –
1955 94 #1,038 – –
1950 8 #4,143 – –
1945 5 #4,902 – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Kelli

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Kelli Giddish Kelli Giddish American actress (born 1980) Contemporary
  2. 2 Kelli Williams American actress b. 1970 · Contemporary
  3. 3 Kelli Garner Kelli Garner American actress (born 1984) Contemporary
  4. 4 Kelli Berglund Kelli Berglund American actress (born 1996) Contemporary
  5. 5 Kelli McCarty Kelli McCarty American actress and model b. 1969 · Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Kelli, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Kelli?

The median living Kelli is about 46 years old. Half of all living Kellis are between 38 and 55 years old.

How many people named Kelli are alive today?

An estimated 72 thousand people named Kelli are alive in the United States, based on 75,192 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Kelli mean?

A female given name transferred from the surname, variant of Kelly.

How popular is the name Kelli in 2025?

Kelli ranked #6,690 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 17 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Kelli?

75,192 babies have been named Kelli in the United States since 1945, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Kelli most popular?

Kelli peaked in 1970, when 3,344 newborns received the name.

Is Kelli a boy or girl name?

Kelli is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Kelli rising or falling?

Kelli is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Kelli?

Well-known people named Kelli include Kelli Giddish (actor), Kelli Williams (actor), Kelli Garner (actor).

Names like Kelli

Names that sound and feel close to Kelli: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Kelli with similar names → More names starting with K →