Kelley

Meaning & origin

Kelley is a unisex given name of Irish origin, drawn from the surname Kelley, itself an anglicization of Ó Ceallaigh. The name first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1919, and its popularity peaked in 1968, when it ranked among the top 1,000 names. Since 1987, usage has been steadily declining; by 2025 it ranked 7,133, with roughly 1 in 107,151 newborns given the name. While historically common for both sexes, Kelley is now predominantly used for girls. The name has no strong regional concentration in the top states. Its straightforward sound and family-name feel keep it in steady, if low, use alongside similar unisex choices like Casey and Kelly.

Kelley is primarily a transferred use of the Irish surname Kelley, an anglicized form of the Gaelic Ó Ceallaigh, meaning 'descendant of Ceallach.' The personal name Ceallach is of uncertain meaning, possibly derived from Irish 'ceall' (church) or 'cath' (battle), giving it possible connotations of 'bright-headed' or 'warrior.' In the United States, Kelley gained popularity as a given name in the mid-20th century, often used for both boys and girls, though in recent decades it has become more common for girls.