Total births
46,099
Unisex name · since 1919
Kelley
Since 1919, U.S. Social Security records show 46,099 babies named Kelley, peaking in 1968. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6681
- among girls today
- 46,099
- born since 1919
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 62%
- more common than other girls
Kelley currently ranks #6681 among unisex names in America, with 46,099 babies recorded since 1919.
Social Security Administration records show Kelley recorded 46,099 times among girls since 1919, holding rank #6681 nationally today, ahead of 62% of girls, 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 1919 to 2025.
- #6681 among girls today
- 46,099 born since 1919
- 1960s peak decade
- 62% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kelley is currently the #6681 unisex name in America, more common than 62% of girls - 46,099 born since 1919, peaking in the 1960s.
- #6681
- among girls today
- 46,099
- born since 1919
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 62%
- more common than other girls
Kelley vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#6681
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 62% of names given to girls today.
1960s
Peak decade
32% of everyone ever named Kelley was born in this single decade.
1968
Single peak year
1,918 babies were named Kelley in 1968 - its busiest year on record.
How Kelley compares
46,099 Top 3% higher than 97% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Kelley's all-time total is 121x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kelley | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 46,099 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 1,918 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kelley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Kelley splits its recorded history at 1982: 31% of all births land in the more recent half, 69% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1920 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1968 peak of 1,918 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Kelley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1968
Current rank
#6,681
Active since
1919
Kelley popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1919–2025
- Peak year (1968)
- 1,918
- Annual births at peak, across 107 years of records
Kelley popularity over time - boys
6,286 total births recorded since 1882 (Kelley as boys' name)
Kelley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Kelley's strongest decade.
14,747 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Kelley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 6
1910s
6 births
- 1920s 5
1920s
5 births
- 1940s 81
1940s
81 births
- 1950s 2,237
1950s
2,237 births
- 1960s
1960s
14,747 births
- 1970s
1970s
12,745 births
- 1980s
1980s
9,788 births
- 1990s 4,935
1990s
4,935 births
- 2000s 1,111
2000s
1,111 births
- 2010s 329
2010s
329 births
- 2020s 115
2020s
115 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 14,747 births (32% of all-time use).
How Kelley 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 Kelley's total volume
Kelley vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kelley by state
Where Kelley concentrates geographically, total births since 1919
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 4,695 | 10.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 3,307 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 2,804 | 6.1% |
| #4 | New York | | 2,155 | 4.7% |
| #5 | Michigan | | 2,082 | 4.5% |
| #6 | Massachusetts | | 1,931 | 4.2% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 1,870 | 4.1% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 1,724 | 3.7% |
California share of Kelley's total US births 10.2%
Even split
4,695 of 46,099 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Kelley appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kelley? ▼
Kelley has been given to 46,099 babies in the U.S. since 1919, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #6681 as of the latest data. 1,918 babies were born in 1968, its single highest year.
When was Kelley most popular? ▼
Kelley was most popular in the 1960s decade with 14,747 total births. The single peak year was 1968.
Where is Kelley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kelley are California (4,695 births), Texas (3,307 births), Ohio (2,804 births).
Is Kelley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kelley is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 46,099 births, and as a boy's name it has 6,286 births.
How long has the name Kelley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kelley since 1919 -- 107 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kelley? ▼
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 Kelley's data
- Kelley's decade-level peak was the 1960s (14,747 total births); usage has since declined to 115 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kelleys (4,695 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 Kelley
Nearby Names Like Kelley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kelley
Kelly Girl
#867 473,965 births
Kelsey Girl
#673 150,416 births
Kelli Girl
#7320 74,891 births
Kellie Girl
#6955 50,754 births
Kelsie Girl
#2307 19,591 births
Compare Kelley side by side: Kelley vs Kelly Kelley vs Kelsey Kelley vs Kelli
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kelley
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1919–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kelley: #6681 Unisex Name - 46,099 Births, Peak 1968." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kelley. 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 Kelley 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 June 2026.