Total births
2,302
Girls' name · since 1950
Kelle
2,302 babies named Kelle in U.S. Social Security records since 1950, with the highest year being 1962. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 2,302
- total births
- 1950–2003
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
Kelle is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 2,302 have been recorded since 1950.
Social Security Administration records show Kelle recorded 2,302 times among girls since 1950, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1950 to 2003.
- 2,302 total births
- 1950–2003 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
2,302 girls have been named Kelle since 1950, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2003.
- 2,302
- total births
- 1950–2003
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Kelle was born in this single decade.
1962
Single peak year
100 babies were named Kelle in 1962 - its busiest year on record.
Kelle's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kelle's SSA record in two at 1976 and the more recent half accounts for 35% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 65%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1951, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1962 peak of 100, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kelle at a glance
Last recorded 2003Peak year
1962
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1950
Kelle popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1950–2003
- Peak year (1962)
- 100
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Kelle popularity over time - boys
43 total births recorded since 1960 (Kelle as boys' name)
Kelle by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Kelle's strongest decade.
895 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Kelle births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 236
1950s
236 births
- 1960s
1960s
895 births
- 1970s
1970s
606 births
- 1980s
1980s
386 births
- 1990s 155
1990s
155 births
- 2000s 24
2000s
24 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 895 births (39% of all-time use).
How Kelle compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Kelle's total volume
Kelle vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kelle by state
Where Kelle concentrates geographically, total births since 1950
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 190 | 8.3% |
| #2 | Texas | | 147 | 6.4% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 66 | 2.9% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 54 | 2.3% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 51 | 2.2% |
| #6 | Illinois | | 36 | 1.6% |
| #7 | Oklahoma | | 32 | 1.4% |
| #8 | Indiana | | 26 | 1.1% |
California share of Kelle's total US births 8.3%
Even split
190 of 2,302 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Kelle appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kelle? ▼
Since 1950, Social Security records show 2,302 babies named Kelle. The most recent recorded year was 2003. Its busiest year on record was 1962, with 100 births.
When was Kelle most popular? ▼
Kelle was most popular in the 1960s decade with 895 total births. The single peak year was 1962.
Where is Kelle most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kelle are California (190 births), Texas (147 births), Michigan (66 births).
How long has the name Kelle been used? ▼
Records for Kelle go back to 1950, giving 54 years of history through 2003.
What names are similar to Kelle? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kelly, Kelsey, Kelli, Kellie, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kelle's data
- Kelle's decade-level peak was the 1960s (895 total births); usage has since declined to 24 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kelles (190 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Kelle
Nearby Names Like Kelle
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kelle
Kelly Girl
#867 473,965 births
Kelsey Girl
#673 150,416 births
Kelli Girl
#7320 74,891 births
Kellie Girl
#6955 50,754 births
Kelley Girl
#6681 46,099 births
Compare Kelle side by side: Kelle vs Kelly Kelle vs Kelsey Kelle vs Kelli
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1950–2003 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kelle: Baby Name Since 1950 - 2,302 Births, Peak 1962." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kelle. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Kelle draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.