Total births
674
Unisex name · since 1983
Kesley
Since 1983, U.S. Social Security records show 674 babies named Kesley, peaking in 1990. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #8133
- among girls today
- 674
- born since 1983
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other girls
674 babies have been named Kesley since 1983, making it today's #8133 unisex name.
Social Security Administration records show Kesley recorded 674 times among girls since 1983, holding rank #8133 nationally today, ahead of 54% of girls, peaking in the 1990s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1983 to 2025.
- #8133 among girls today
- 674 born since 1983
- 1990s peak decade
- 54% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Kesley is currently the #8133 unisex name in America, more common than 54% of girls - 674 born since 1983, peaking in the 1990s.
- #8133
- among girls today
- 674
- born since 1983
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 54%
- more common than other girls
Kesley vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#8133
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 54% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
34% of everyone ever named Kesley was born in this single decade.
1990
Single peak year
35 babies were named Kesley in 1990 - its busiest year on record.
How Kesley compares
674 Top 39% higher than 61% 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
Kesley's all-time total is 76% above the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Kesley | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 674 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 35 | 48 | 19,840 |
Kesley's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Kesley's SSA record in two at 2004 and the more recent half accounts for 42% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 58%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1984, with only 6 births recorded -- set against the 1990 peak of 35, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Kesley at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1990
Current rank
#8,133
Active since
1983
Kesley popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1983–2025
- Peak year (1990)
- 35
- Annual births at peak, across 43 years of records
Kesley popularity over time - boys
67 total births recorded since 1975 (Kesley as boys' name)
Kesley by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Kesley's strongest decade.
231 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 34% of all-time use.
Kesley births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s
1980s
93 births
- 1990s
1990s
231 births
- 2000s
2000s
155 births
- 2010s
2010s
128 births
- 2020s 67
2020s
67 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 231 births (34% of all-time use).
How Kesley 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 Kesley's total volume
Kesley vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Kesley by state
Where Kesley concentrates geographically, total births since 1983
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 5 | 0.7% |
Texas share of Kesley's total US births 0.7%
5 of 674 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Kesley? ▼
Since 1983, Social Security records show 674 babies named Kesley. Today it holds rank #8133 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1990, with 35 births.
When was Kesley most popular? ▼
Kesley was most popular in the 1990s decade with 231 total births. The single peak year was 1990.
Where is Kesley most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Kesley are Texas (5 births).
Is Kesley a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Kesley is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 674 births, and as a boy's name it has 67 births.
How long has the name Kesley been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Kesley since 1983 -- 43 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Kesley? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Keshia, Kesha, Kesia, Keshawna, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Kesley's data
- Kesley's decade-level peak was the 1990s (231 total births); usage has since declined to 67 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Kesleys (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Kesley
Nearby Names Like Kesley
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Kesley
Keshia Girl
5,380 births
Kesha Girl
#13760 5,248 births
Kesia Girl
692 births
Keshawna Girl
460 births
Kessa Girl
443 births
Compare Kesley side by side: Kesley vs Keshia Kesley vs Kesha Kesley vs Kesia
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Kesley
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, 1983–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Kesley: #8133 Unisex Name - 674 Births, Peak 1990." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/kesley. 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 Kesley 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.