Kelly
Boy name · #1867 in 2025 · Uniqueness 77/100
In 2025, 84 baby boys were named Kelly, placing it at #1867 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1555, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 21,429 boys born in 2025 was named Kelly.
The 145-year story
Kelly first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1967, when 3,093 boys were named Kelly — good for #102 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Kelly per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kelly against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kelly in class?
Kelly scores 77 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Kelly will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Kelly is most common
Geography matters for names, and Kelly is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Kellys were CA (13), PA (6), FL (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Kelly
Statistically, parents drawn to Kelly tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Kerry, Barry, Kurt, Monty, and Kent.
KerryBarryKurtMontyKentMartyKirkJeffery
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Kelly | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 84 | #1867 |
| 2024 | 109 | #1583 |
| 2023 | 94 | #1744 |
| 2022 | 122 | #1479 |
| 2021 | 114 | #1538 |
| 2020 | 110 | #1518 |
| 2019 | 107 | #1564 |
| 2018 | 103 | #1593 |
| 2017 | 115 | #1467 |
| 2016 | 118 | #1456 |
| 2015 | 104 | #1555 |
| 2014 | 105 | #1526 |
| 2013 | 103 | #1540 |
| 2012 | 106 | #1514 |
| 2011 | 108 | #1495 |
| 2010 | 101 | #1565 |
| 2009 | 140 | #1257 |
| 2008 | 113 | #1452 |
| 2007 | 154 | #1152 |
| 2006 | 139 | #1202 |
| 2005 | 127 | #1245 |
| 2004 | 160 | #1022 |
| 2003 | 146 | #1060 |
| 2002 | 185 | #884 |
| 2001 | 174 | #902 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Kelly a popular boy name?
Kelly ranked #1867 among boys in 2025 with 84 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1555.
When was the name Kelly most popular?
Kelly peaked in 1967, when 3,093 American boys received the name (ranked #102 that year). Since 1967 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Kelly?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 21,429 newborn American boys was named Kelly. It scores 77/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.