Kelly is a distinctive choice, ranked #1672 in 2024. Your child is likely to be the only Kelly in their class.
💎
UK Rank 2024
#1672
US Rank #868
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 distinctive enough that your child will likely be the only one in both their class and their school — standing out on every register.
In the US it ranks even higher at #868, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the name Kelly
Unlikely. With around 18 UK babies named Kelly per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Kelly in his class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.
Kelly has been declining in UK popularity, dropping 320 places in the last five years. Its peak was #74 in 1996. Choosing it now means he is likely to be among the last of his generation with this name.
Kelly is more popular in the US (#868) than in the UK (#1672). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.
Notable people named Kelly include: 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..
Kelly ranks #868 in the US top 1,000 (2024). It's recognised in America but considerably more popular in the UK.
18
UK babies named Kelly (2024)
< 1
Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)
~0.0
In a school of 600
↓ 320 places
Rank change (last 5 years)
🏫 Who else is in the room?
In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Kelly
Likely around 1 other Kelly in the class
UK Popularity (1996–2024)
Rank and birth count · ONS official data
US Popularity (2020–2024)
Rank · SSA official data
✨ Similar names to Kelly
Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story
Kelly Olivia Gale is a Swedish-Australian model and actress. She is known globally for her work for Victoria's Secret, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, and Playboy, as well as being featured in the music video of "Duele el Corazón" by Enrique Iglesias.
Megyn Marie Kelly is an American journalist, attorney, political commentator, and media personality. She hosts The Megyn Kelly Show, a talk show and podcast that airs daily on SiriusXM's Triumph channel and has over 4 million subscribers on YouTube.
John Francis Kelly is an American former political advisor and retired U.S. Marine Corps general who was the White House chief of staff for President Donald Trump from 2017 until 2019.
Mark Edward Kelly is an American politician and a retired astronaut and naval officer. He is the senior United States senator from Arizona, a seat he has held since 2020.
Edward Kelly was an Australian bushranger, gang leader and police-murderer. One of the last bushrangers, he is known for wearing a suit of bulletproof armour during his final shootout with the police.