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Keli

girl name
Origin
Modern American
Syllables
2
Peak era
1970s/1980s
Today
▬ Steady

Meaning

a modern respelling of Kelly, from the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh, often read as bright-headed

The story

Read the story of Kelly →

More names with stories →

Popularity, 1890–2024

1890speak 1970s2020s

Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Keli peaked in the 1970s and the 1980s in nearly equal measure.

See popularity in Brazil

Popularity in Brazil

20,028 people · the #1,067 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 10,101 · median age 35

1960s1970s1980s1990s2000s2010s

Among people named Keli living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1980s than in any other decade.

The census also counted 114 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.

Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022

When you meet Keli

People given the name Keli in the United States span the generations: the middle half were born anywhere from 1960 to 1989. Age is the one thing the name won't tell you.

Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.

Names that fit alongside Keli

Lesli Calli Hali Karri Darci Misti

The Keli deep dive

Written for you · $1.99 →

Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Keli truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Keli fits with your family’s names and surname.

Both reports, explained →

Keep exploring

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