Total births
74,891
Girls' name · since 1945
Kelli
Since 1945, U.S. Social Security records show 74,891 babies named Kelli, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #7320
- among girls today
- 74,891
- born since 1945
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
Kelli currently ranks #7320 among girls' names in America, with 74,891 babies recorded since 1945.
Social Security Administration records show Kelli recorded 74,891 times among girls since 1945, holding rank #7320 nationally today, ahead of 59% of girls, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1945 to 2025.
- #7320 among girls today
- 74,891 born since 1945
- 1970s peak decade
- 59% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kelli is currently the #7320 girls' name in America, more common than 59% of girls - 74,891 born since 1945, peaking in the 1970s.
- #7320
- among girls today
- 74,891
- born since 1945
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 59%
- more common than other girls
Kelli vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#7320
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 59% of names given to girls today.
1970s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Kelli was born in this single decade.
1970
Single peak year
3,331 babies were named Kelli in 1970 - its busiest year on record.
How Kelli compares
74,891 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
Kelli's all-time total is 196x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kelli | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 74,891 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 3,331 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kelli's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Kelli's full recorded timeline at 1986, 28% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 72% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1945, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1970 peak of 3,331 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Kelli at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1970
Current rank
#7,320
Active since
1945
Kelli popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1945–2025
- Peak year (1970)
- 3,331
- Annual births at peak, across 81 years of records
Kelli popularity over time - boys
301 total births recorded since 1963 (Kelli as boys' name)
Kelli by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Kelli's strongest decade.
21,540 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Kelli births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 19
1940s
19 births
- 1950s 1,986
1950s
1,986 births
- 1960s
1960s
16,867 births
- 1970s
1970s
21,540 births
- 1980s
1980s
21,049 births
- 1990s
1990s
10,237 births
- 2000s 2,570
2000s
2,570 births
- 2010s 490
2010s
490 births
- 2020s 133
2020s
133 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 21,540 births (29% of all-time use).
How Kelli 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 Kelli's total volume
Kelli vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kelli by state
Where Kelli concentrates geographically, total births since 1945
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 6,604 | 8.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 5,705 | 7.6% |
| #3 | Ohio | | 4,384 | 5.9% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 3,785 | 5.1% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 3,517 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 2,857 | 3.8% |
| #7 | Indiana | | 2,514 | 3.4% |
| #8 | Florida | | 2,495 | 3.3% |
California share of Kelli's total US births 8.8%
Even split
6,604 of 74,891 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Kelli appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kelli? ▼
Kelli has been given to 74,891 babies in the U.S. since 1945, according to SSA data. Among girls, it ranks #7320 as of the latest data. 3,331 babies were born in 1970, its single highest year.
When was Kelli most popular? ▼
Kelli was most popular in the 1970s decade with 21,540 total births. The single peak year was 1970.
Where is Kelli most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kelli are California (6,604 births), Texas (5,705 births), Ohio (4,384 births).
How long has the name Kelli been used? ▼
Records for Kelli go back to 1945, giving 81 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kelli? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kelly, Kelsey, Kellie, Kelley, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kelli's data
- Kelli's decade-level peak was the 1970s (21,540 total births); usage has since declined to 133 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Kellis (6,604 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 Kelli
Nearby Names Like Kelli
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kelli
Kelly Girl
#867 473,965 births
Kelsey Girl
#673 150,416 births
Kellie Girl
#6955 50,754 births
Kelley Girl
#6681 46,099 births
Kelsie Girl
#2307 19,591 births
Compare Kelli side by side: Kelli vs Kelly Kelli vs Kelsey Kelli vs Kellie
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kelli
Melony #7319
4,459 births · Peak 1974
Jaymee #7321
2,207 births · Peak 1992
Lindley #7318
1,000 births · Peak 1988
Chrissy #7322
4,459 births · Peak 1978
Shayne #7317
2,960 births · Peak 2008
Sydni #7323
5,361 births · Peak 2000
Jani #7316
1,659 births · Peak 1960
Reanna #7324
5,580 births · Peak 1998
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, 1945–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kelli: #7320 Girls' Name - 74,891 Births, Peak 1970." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kelli. 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 Kelli 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.