Kelly
Kelly is a distinctive choice, ranked #2006 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Kelly in their class.
About the Name Kelly
Kelly has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 320 places in five years. It was most popular in 1996 at #74 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996. It briefly reached the UK top 100, though it typically sits a little further down the charts.
Kelly is rare in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Kelly in their class.
In the US it ranks even higher at #868, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
⭐ Famous People Named Kelly
- Kelly Gale — Kelly Olivia Gale is a Swedish-Australian model and actress.
- Megyn Kelly — Megyn Marie Kelly is an American journalist, attorney, political commentator, and media personality.
- John F. Kelly — John Francis Kelly is an American former political advisor and retired U.S.
Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Kelly
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Kelly
Almost certainly the only Kelly in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2025)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2025)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Kelly
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
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Famous People Named Kelly
Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia