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2025 data, released 8 May 2026

2025 data, released 8 May 2026

Kellee

Kellee was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1978, when it ranked 769th with 201 babies. More babies were named Kellee in the 1970s than in any other decade.

Meaning (as Kelly) descendant of Ceallach (Irish surname) · Irish

Rank in 2025
Not rankedgirls
Babies in 2025
0girls
Girls and boys
Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
Peak year
1978201 babies
Total since 1880
3,730babies recorded

What does the name Kellee mean?

Kellee is a spelling of Kelly, pronounced the same way, so it shares Kelly's meaning and origin.

Kelly is the anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh, 'descendant of Ceallach'. The personal name Ceallach is of uncertain meaning; it is often connected with ceall 'church' or with a word meaning 'bright-headed' or 'strife', and none is proved. Kelly is one of the most common surnames in Ireland. It was first used as a boys' first name in the US, then became mainly a girls' name from the mid-20th century; actress Grace Kelly helped.

Ó Ceallaigh (Irish, “descendant of Ceallach”)

How sure is this? Uncertain. The surname's source is clear; the meaning of the underlying name Ceallach is not.

Other explanations you may read: 'warrior' or 'bright-headed' given as settled meanings.

Related names: Kelley, Kellie, Kaylee.

See also: Irish names.

Sources for this meaning

Kellee popularity since 1880

0125250375500 1900192019401960198020002020
Girls Babies per year, US, from Social Security records. Years with fewer than 5 babies show as zero.

A few boys are given the name too: 16 since 1976.

YearRank (girls)Babies (girls)
2025——
2020——
2010#12,8798
2000#4,59726
1990#2,08963
1980#961154
1970#1,121105
1960#1,33569
1950——
1940——
1930——
1920——
1910——
1900——
1890——
1880——

How popular is Kellee, counting every spelling?

Kellee is a spelling of Kelly, a name family that ranked #726 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together. Together these spellings went to 389 girls in 2025.

SpellingBabies 2025Official rankBabies 2021–2025
Kelly319#8521,664
Kelli17#6,690101
Kellie19#6,222100
Kelley15#7,32286
Keelie11#9,16368
Keli8#11,42426

Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.

How old are people named Kellee?

About 3,500 people born in the US named Kellee are alive today, with a median age of 47; half are between 39 and 57. That makes Kellee mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.

0–910–1920–2930–3940–4950–5960–6970–7980–8990+
Estimated people alive in the US with the name, by age, mid-2026. The darker bar holds the median age.

Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.

Kellee by state

How common Kellee was among girls born in each state in 1976–1980, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Ohio (1.6×). In 30 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.

Alaska: fewer than 5 a yearAK–Maine: fewer than 5 a yearME–Wisconsin: fewer than 5 a yearWI–Vermont: fewer than 5 a yearVT–New Hampshire: fewer than 5 a yearNH–Washington: fewer than 5 a yearWA–Idaho: fewer than 5 a yearID–Montana: fewer than 5 a yearMT–North Dakota: fewer than 5 a yearND–Minnesota: fewer than 5 a yearMN–Illinois: 0.13 per 1,000 babiesIL0.13Michigan: 0.12 per 1,000 babiesMI0.12New York: 0.04 per 1,000 babiesNY0.04Massachusetts: fewer than 5 a yearMA–Oregon: fewer than 5 a yearOR–Nevada: fewer than 5 a yearNV–Wyoming: fewer than 5 a yearWY–South Dakota: fewer than 5 a yearSD–Iowa: 0.06 per 1,000 babiesIA0.06Indiana: 0.07 per 1,000 babiesIN0.07Ohio: 0.16 per 1,000 babiesOH0.16Pennsylvania: 0.09 per 1,000 babiesPA0.09New Jersey: 0.07 per 1,000 babiesNJ0.07Connecticut: fewer than 5 a yearCT–Rhode Island: fewer than 5 a yearRI–California: 0.13 per 1,000 babiesCA0.13Utah: 0.07 per 1,000 babiesUT0.07Colorado: 0.06 per 1,000 babiesCO0.06Nebraska: fewer than 5 a yearNE–Missouri: 0.05 per 1,000 babiesMO0.05Kentucky: fewer than 5 a yearKY–West Virginia: fewer than 5 a yearWV–Virginia: 0.05 per 1,000 babiesVA0.05Maryland: 0.11 per 1,000 babiesMD0.11Delaware: fewer than 5 a yearDE–Arizona: fewer than 5 a yearAZ–New Mexico: fewer than 5 a yearNM–Kansas: fewer than 5 a yearKS–Arkansas: fewer than 5 a yearAR–Tennessee: fewer than 5 a yearTN–North Carolina: 0.04 per 1,000 babiesNC0.04South Carolina: fewer than 5 a yearSC–District of Columbia: 0.17 per 1,000 babiesDC0.17Oklahoma: 0.06 per 1,000 babiesOK0.06Louisiana: 0.14 per 1,000 babiesLA0.14Mississippi: fewer than 5 a yearMS–Alabama: fewer than 5 a yearAL–Georgia: 0.07 per 1,000 babiesGA0.07Hawaii: fewer than 5 a yearHI–Texas: 0.05 per 1,000 babiesTX0.05Florida: 0.11 per 1,000 babiesFL0.11
Babies per 1,000 of the same sex, Kellee, girls, 1976–1980. Darker means more common.

Names with a similar history

These names rose and fell in step with Kellee: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Kellee, they share its era and feel.

Questions about the name Kellee

What does Kellee mean?

Kellee is a spelling of Kelly, usually explained as “descendant of Ceallach (Irish surname)”, but this is uncertain. Certainty: uncertain.

How popular is the name Kellee?

Kellee was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1978, when it ranked 769th with 201 babies. More babies were named Kellee in the 1970s than in any other decade.

Is Kellee a boy or girl name?

In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Kellee in the US.

Where was Kellee most popular?

In 1976–1980, Kellee was most common in District of Columbia (0.17 per 1,000 girls), followed by Ohio and Louisiana.