Kelly
Boy name · #1867 in 2025 · Very rare
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. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Kelly against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Kelly in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Kelly is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". 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
State-level data for Kelly is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.