Gender Masculine & Feminine
Usage Irish, English
Pronounced Pron. KEHL-ee(English)  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Anglicized form of the Irish given name Ceallach or the surname derived from it Ó Ceallaigh. As a surname, it has been borne by actor and dancer Gene Kelly (1912-1996) and actress and princess Grace Kelly (1929-1982).

As a given name it was mostly masculine before 1940, but it rose in popularity as a name for girls during the 40s and 50s, probably due both to Grace Kelly (who married Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1956) and a female character on the 1957 television series Bachelor Father [1]. By the end of the 1970s it was on the decline.

Related Names

VariantsCeallach, Ceallagh(Irish) Kelley, Kelli, Kellie, Kelleigh(English)
Other Languages & CulturesCellach, Cellachán(Old Irish)
User SubmissionsKelly, Kellý

People think this name is

youthful   informal   common   natural   wholesome   strong   refined   simple  

Categories

Sources & References

  1. Evans, Cleveland Kent. The Great Big Book of Baby Names. Publications International, 2006, page 478.
Entry updated January 21, 2022