UK name, mostly girls
Kelley
A feminine given name meaning "bright-headed" or "having bright hair".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1997. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Also recorded as a boys' name in the UK, with 6 boys.
Kelley is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Kelley popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1997 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3824, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 7 births.
This profile covers 10 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 1996 to 1997. 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 43% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 37 living people in the UK are called Kelley. 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 1998 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kelley ranked #3824 for girls in England and Wales in 1997, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 7 girls were registered as Kelley.
- • Kelley ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #576 in 1989.
- • Kelley is also recorded for boys, but the girls side is the larger UK variant in these records.
- • About 37 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kelley as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 62.5% of Kelley registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3824
1997
Births in 1997
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
7 births
Estimated living
37
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Kelley
In England and Wales birth records, Kelley has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 37.5% of registrations are for boys and 62.5% 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.
Kelley registered for boys
- Ranked #4,527 in 2009
- 3 boys registered in 2009
- Peak: 2002 (3 births)
Kelley registered for girls
- Ranked #3,824 in 1997
- 3 girls registered in 1997
- Peak: 1996 (7 births)
Meaning
What does Kelley mean?
The name Kelley is an English given name derived from the Old Irish Gaelic word "cailleach," which means "veiled one" or "nun." It is believed to have originated as a descriptive term for a woman who wore a veil or headdress, possibly as a symbol of religious devotion or modesty.
The name Kelley is closely related to the Irish surname Kelly, which has its roots in the ancient Gaelic clan Ó Ceallaigh. This clan was prominent in various parts of Ireland, particularly in the counties of Galway, Roscommon, and Sligo, during the medieval period.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kelley can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history written in the early 17th century. The annals mention several individuals with the surname Kelly, including Tadhg Ó Ceallaigh, who was a notable poet and historian in the 15th century.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the given name Kelley. One of the most famous was Kelley Wearstler, an American interior designer born in 1967. She is renowned for her eclectic and distinctive design style, and has worked on numerous high-profile projects for celebrities and luxury brands.
Another notable Kelley was Kelley Jones, an American comic book artist born in 1962. He is best known for his work on various Batman titles for DC Comics, where he developed a distinct and moody artistic style that captured the dark and gothic atmosphere of Gotham City.
In the world of sports, Kelley Sheehan was an American professional golfer born in 1976. She won several tournaments on the LPGA Tour and represented the United States in the Solheim Cup, a prestigious team event between the top female golfers from Europe and the United States.
Kelley Stoltz is an American singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist born in 1975. He is known for his eclectic blend of indie rock, pop, and psychedelic influences, and has released several critically acclaimed albums since the early 2000s.
Finally, Kelley Morse was an American artist and illustrator born in 1928. She is renowned for her vibrant and whimsical illustrations, which often featured anthropomorphic animals and magical scenes. Her work has appeared in numerous children's books and magazines throughout her career.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kelley over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Kelley in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2009. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kelley, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 1997, compared with 7 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kelley by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kelley 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | #2960 | 10 | 2 |
Geography
Where Kelley is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kelley. 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.
Kelley ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #576 in 1989.
Across the UK
Kelley in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#576 in 1989
7 years of NRS records, 28 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Kelley
-
Kelley Haniver
biathlete
British biathlete
1977-
-
Kelley Few
association football player
English footballer
Related
Names similar to Kelley
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kelley: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kelley in the UK right now?
In 1997, Kelley was ranked #3824 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Kelley most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 7 babies registered as Kelley in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kelley?
A feminine given name meaning "bright-headed" or "having bright hair".
How many people are called Kelley in the UK?
A total of 10 babies have been registered as Kelley across the 2 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 28 more in Scotland.
Where is Kelley most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kelley ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #576 in 1989. 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.