Total births
387
Boys' name · since 1915
Kelso
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 387 babies named Kelso, peaking in 2024. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4332
- among boys today
- 387
- born since 1915
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
387 babies have been named Kelso since 1915, making it today's #4332 boys' name.
Social Security Administration records show Kelso recorded 387 times among boys since 1915, holding rank #4332 nationally today, ahead of 70% of boys, peaking in the 2020s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2025.
- #4332 among boys today
- 387 born since 1915
- 2020s peak decade
- 70% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Kelso is currently the #4332 boys' name in America, more common than 70% of boys - 387 born since 1915, peaking in the 2020s.
- #4332
- among boys today
- 387
- born since 1915
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Kelso vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4332
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 70% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
28% of everyone ever named Kelso was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
24 babies were named Kelso in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Kelso compares
387 Top 49% higher than 51% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys 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
Kelso's all-time total is 5% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kelso | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 387 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 24 | 23 | 22,252 |
Kelso's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Kelso's full recorded timeline at 2005, 66% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 34% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1920, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2024 peak of 24 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Kelso at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2024
Current rank
#4,332
Active since
1915
Kelso popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2025
- Peak year (2024)
- 24
- Annual births at peak, across 111 years of records
Kelso by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Kelso's strongest decade.
109 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 28% of all-time use.
Kelso births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 33
1910s
33 births
- 1920s 34
1920s
34 births
- 1930s 23
1930s
23 births
- 1940s 17
1940s
17 births
- 1990s 5
1990s
5 births
- 2000s
2000s
72 births
- 2010s
2010s
94 births
- 2020s
2020s
109 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 109 births (28% of all-time use).
Kelso by state
Where Kelso concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Kentucky | | 6 | 1.6% |
Kentucky share of Kelso's total US births 1.6%
6 of 387 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kelso? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 387 babies named Kelso. Today it holds rank #4332 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2024, with 24 births.
When was Kelso most popular? ▼
Kelso was most popular in the 2020s decade with 109 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
Where is Kelso most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kelso are Kentucky (6 births).
How long has the name Kelso been used? ▼
Records for Kelso go back to 1915, giving 111 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Kelso? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Kelly, Kelvin, Kellen, Kellan, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Kelso's data
- Kentucky records the most Kelsos (6 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Kentucky 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 Kelso
Nearby Names Like Kelso
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kelso
Kelly Boy
#1585 82,400 births
Kelvin Boy
#1082 51,551 births
Kellen Boy
#1032 17,042 births
Kellan Boy
#920 10,752 births
Kelton Boy
#2428 6,640 births
Compare Kelso side by side: Kelso vs Kelly Kelso vs Kelvin Kelso vs Kellen
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kelso
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, 1915–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kelso: #4332 Boys' Name - 387 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kelso. 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 Kelso 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.