UK name, mostly boys
Kellan
Its Gaelic meaning is "bright-headed" or "mighty warrior".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kellan is mostly registered for boys in the UK records. People looking for Kellan popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2088, with 11 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 35 births.
This profile covers 370 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 31% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 401 living people in the UK are called Kellan. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kellan ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 11 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 35 boys were registered as Kellan.
- • Kellan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #595 in 2018.
- • About 401 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kellan as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 99.2% of Kellan registrations are for boys.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2088
2024
Births in 2024
11
Latest year
Peak year
2010
35 births
Estimated living
401
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kellan
In England and Wales birth records, Kellan has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 99.2% of registrations are for boys and 0.8% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Kellan registered for boys
- Ranked #2,088 in 2024
- 11 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2010 (35 births)
Kellan registered for girls
- Ranked #3,848 in 1998
- 3 girls registered in 1998
- Peak: 1998 (3 births)
Meaning
What does Kellan mean?
The name Kellan is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic word "caillen," meaning "slender" or "lean." It is believed to have originated in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century, when Irish names were becoming more popular and widespread.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kellan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written by monks in the 15th century. The name appears in reference to a man named Kellan O'Daly, who lived in the late 12th century and was a member of an influential Irish family.
In the 16th century, the name Kellan was also mentioned in the Book of Leinster, an important collection of Irish literature and historical records. This suggests that the name had gained some popularity and recognition during this period, particularly among Irish families and clans.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Kellan. One of the most famous was Kellan O'Doherty, an Irish chieftain and military leader who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He was known for his resistance against English rule in Ireland and his leadership during the Nine Years' War (1594-1603).
Another historical figure with the name Kellan was Kellan O'Donnell, who lived in the 17th century and was a member of the powerful O'Donnell clan of Donegal, Ireland. He played a significant role in the Irish Confederate Wars and fought against the English forces of Oliver Cromwell.
In the 18th century, Kellan O'Reilly was a renowned Irish harpist and composer. He was born in 1754 and was known for his skill in traditional Irish music, contributing to the preservation of the country's cultural heritage.
Moving to the 19th century, Kellan O'Shea was an Irish immigrant to the United States who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Born in 1837, he fought in several major battles and was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery.
In the 20th century, Kellan Lutz, an American actor and model born in 1985, gained recognition for his roles in films such as the "Twilight" saga and "Immortals." His name, though not of traditional Irish origin, has helped to popularize the name Kellan in modern times.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kellan over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kellan in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kellan, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 11 births in 2024, compared with 35 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kellan by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kellan was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #2454 | 45 | 5 |
| 2010s | #1221 | 243 | 10 |
| 2000s | #2564 | 57 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1853 | 25 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kellan is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kellan. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Kellan ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #595 in 2018.
Across the UK
Kellan in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#595 in 2018
7 years of NRS records, 34 total registered
Related
Names similar to Kellan
- Kieran 30,429
- Kyle 28,463
- Kai 24,432
- Kian 17,666
- Kayden 8,305
- Kevin 7,927
- Kane 7,149
- Kaiden 5,762
- Kieron 4,547
- Kacper 4,366
- Kye 4,012
- Kit 3,529
FAQ
Kellan: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kellan in the UK right now?
In 2024, Kellan was ranked #2088 for boys in England and Wales, with 11 births registered.
When was Kellan most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 35 babies registered as Kellan in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kellan?
Its Gaelic meaning is "bright-headed" or "mighty warrior".
How many people are called Kellan in the UK?
A total of 370 babies have been registered as Kellan across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 34 more in Scotland.
Where is Kellan most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kellan ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #595 in 2018. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.