NameRealm
Kellie

Kellie: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“bright-headed”
Origin
Irish
Say it
KEL-ee · 2 syllables
Used for
Girls

Usually a variant spelling of Kelly, from the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh. The surname's exact meaning is debated; a common interpretation links it to ceallach, often glossed as 'bright-headed'.

Irish namesEnglish namesNames meaning lightModern names

How popular is Kellie?

20244.8 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named Kellie in 202416

Peak year1969

Total US babies since 188051,088

Kellie is fading: recent use is about 36% of its level ten years before.

Names like Kellie

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • Kellydescendant of Ceallach · Irish
  • Keilyuncertain · Unknown
  • Kelliwar; strife · Irish
  • Kelleydescendant of Ceallach · Irish
  • Maeveshe who intoxicates · Irish
  • Kennedyhelmeted head · Irish
  • Sloaneraider · Irish
  • Delaneydescendant of the challenger · Irish

Kellie questions

What does the name Kellie mean?

Kellie means "bright-headed". It comes from Irish. Usually a variant spelling of Kelly, from the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh. The surname's exact meaning is debated; a common interpretation links it to ceallach, often glossed as 'bright-headed'.

Is Kellie a boy or girl name?

Kellie is mainly a girl's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Kellie?

16 US babies were named Kellie in 2024. Its peak year was 1969.

How do you pronounce Kellie?

Kellie is usually pronounced KEL-ee.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.