Kelsey - A very unique female name
Kelsey at a glance
Kelsey is ranked #783 among girl baby names in 2025, with 304 births in 2025. It peaked in 1992 at #23 and first appeared on the charts in 1967.
- Rank in 2025
- #783
- Births in 2025
- 304
- Peak year
- 1992 (#23)
- First appeared
- 1967
- Trend
- #527 in 2020 → #783 in 2025 (Falling)
- Popularity
- 1 in 4,288 girls
- Visitor rating
- 4.6/5 (36 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 4,288 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Kelsey peaked in popularity 34 years ago in 1992 on position 23.
Famous with this name
Kelsey Asbille
Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Crane
How would you rate Kelsey, 1-5?
Kelsey is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Kelsey is currently topping the baby name charts in Maryland at position #445 - and is the least popular in North Carolina at position #1,212.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Kelsey is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Kelsey origin and meaning
English, transferred surname and place name
Uncertain — the place name behind the surname is usually explained as 'Cenel's island' or 'ship island,' but neither derivation is secure
Kelsey began as an English surname from place names in Lincolnshire and was adopted as a girls' name in the late 20th century. It surged to a peak of over 11,000 births in 1992, part of the K-name wave of that era, and has fallen steadily since — it is now well past its 1990s moment.
Origin uncertain
Kelsey is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.
To see famous people named Kelsey, pop culture references for the name Kelsey and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Kelsey
We've found the following names that sound similar to Kelsey, sorted by popularity.
Kayleigh / Kyleigh / Kelsie / Kaleigh / Kelsi / Khaleesi / Kelsea / Kelis / Kelcie / Kelsy /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 783 |
| 2024 | 674 |
| 2023 | 657 |
| 2022 | 653 |
| 2021 | 618 |
| 2020 | 527 |
| 2019 | 466 |
| 2018 | 438 |
| 2017 | 396 |
| 2016 | 379 |
| 2015 | 346 |
| 2014 | 330 |
| 2013 | 311 |
| 2012 | 269 |
| 2011 | 255 |
| 2010 | 234 |
| 2009 | 212 |
| 2008 | 194 |
| 2007 | 201 |
| 2006 | 184 |
| 2005 | 172 |
| 2004 | 148 |
| 2003 | 130 |
| 2002 | 117 |
| 2001 | 99 |
| 2000 | 87 |
| 1999 | 72 |
| 1998 | 56 |
| 1997 | 57 |
| 1996 | 36 |
| 1995 | 33 |
| 1994 | 29 |
| 1993 | 24 |
| 1992 | 23 |
| 1991 | 26 |
| 1990 | 32 |
| 1989 | 31 |
| 1988 | 64 |
| 1987 | 67 |
| 1986 | 112 |
| 1985 | 167 |
| 1984 | 175 |
| 1983 | 223 |
| 1982 | 308 |
| 1981 | 435 |
| 1980 | 591 |
| 1979 | 752 |
| 1978 | 950 |
| 1977 | 985 |
| 1976 | 1085 |
| 1975 | 1262 |
| 1974 | 1289 |
| 1973 | 1706 |
| 1972 | 1609 |
| 1971 | 1693 |
| 1970 | 2824 |
| 1969 | 2688 |
| 1967 | 2530 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Maryland | 445 |
| Tennessee | 464 |
| Connecticut | 511 |
| Iowa | 536 |
| Kentucky | 537 |
| Massachusetts | 591 |
| Georgia | 633 |
| Oklahoma | 661 |
| Wisconsin | 666 |
| New York | 688 |
| New Jersey | 690 |
| Ohio | 728 |
| Utah | 765 |
| Minnesota | 786 |
| Pennsylvania | 789 |
| Louisiana | 842 |
| Texas | 867 |
| California | 868 |
| Indiana | 869 |
| Illinois | 885 |
| Florida | 897 |
| Arizona | 976 |
| Virginia | 988 |
| Missouri | 1007 |
| Michigan | 1017 |
| Washington | 1148 |
| North Carolina | 1212 |
Even more about Kelsey
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Kelsey a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique female name.What is the number of syllables for the name Kelsey?
2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
KEL-see · /ˈkɛlsi/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
- Kelsie — Common respelling
- Kelsi — Shortened respelling
- Kelcie — Less common respelling
Nicknames: Kels
Famous bearers
None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.
Style
Surname
Why parents choose it
Kelsey now feels friendly and familiar rather than fashionable — a 1990s favourite that will read as a peer of its parents' generation more than of its classmates.
Worth knowing
- Its peak was 1992, so it can feel dated to the 1990s
- Several spellings (Kelsie, Kelsi, Kelcie) split the name
