Kelsey Name Meaning, Origin and Popularity
Kelsey is predominantly used for girls. The statistics below show this exact spelling in official U.S. records.
How Do You Spell Kelsey?
Kelsey is spelled K-E-L-S-E-Y. The name has 6 letters.
Kelsey at a Glance
- Usage
- Predominantly used for girls
- Meaning
- Kelsey is commonly understood to mean “ship”s victory' or “victorious ship.”
- Origin
- Kelsey may derive from Old English elements, possibly from a place name meaning “Ceolsige”s island' or “victory ship.”
- Pronunciation
- KEL-see · 2 syllables
Kelsey Popularity in 2025
Rank#814
Recorded Births335
Rank#6,143
Recorded Births14
- Girls usage fell 141 places to #814 and recorded 95 fewer births compared with 2024.
- Boys usage rose 3,751 places to #6,143 and recorded 7 more births compared with 2024.
Figures reflect this exact spelling in the latest available U.S. Social Security Administration records. See the complete year-by-year trend.
What Does the Name Kelsey Mean?
Kelsey is commonly understood to mean “ship”s victory' or “victorious ship.”
Origin: Kelsey may derive from Old English elements, possibly from a place name meaning “Ceolsige”s island' or “victory ship.”
How Do You Pronounce Kelsey?
PronunciationKEL-see
Syllables2
What Is the History of the Name Kelsey?
- History
- Kelsey is documented as an English surname before becoming used as a given name.
Kelsey Popularity by Year
The table below shows the most recent available records for this exact spelling from 2014 through 2025. Use the full history page to explore every recorded year.
| Year | Usage Category | Recorded Births | National Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Girls | 335 | #814 |
| 2025 | Boys | 14 | #6,143 |
| 2024 | Girls | 430 | #673 |
| 2024 | Boys | 7 | #9,894 |
| 2023 | Girls | 444 | #663 |
| 2023 | Boys | 11 | #7,289 |
| 2022 | Girls | 466 | #632 |
| 2022 | Boys | 23 | #4,442 |
| 2021 | Girls | 477 | #623 |
| 2021 | Boys | 11 | #7,089 |
| 2020 | Girls | 574 | #525 |
| 2020 | Boys | 15 | #5,699 |
| 2019 | Girls | 664 | #470 |
| 2019 | Boys | 16 | #5,555 |
| 2018 | Girls | 740 | #420 |
| 2018 | Boys | 17 | #5,320 |
| 2017 | Girls | 788 | #396 |
| 2017 | Boys | 19 | #4,935 |
| 2016 | Girls | 859 | #383 |
| 2016 | Boys | 10 | #7,605 |
| 2015 | Girls | 955 | #343 |
| 2015 | Boys | 18 | #5,058 |
| 2014 | Girls | 1,017 | #328 |
| 2014 | Boys | 20 | #4,702 |
When Was Kelsey Most Popular?
Peak years are based on the highest recorded birth totals for this exact spelling and usage category. They are ordered by birth count, not chronologically.
1992 · Girls
11,713 recorded births
National rank #23
1991 · Girls
11,435 recorded births
National rank #26
1993 · Girls
11,380 recorded births
National rank #24
1994 · Girls
9,749 recorded births
National rank #29
Where Kelsey Ranked Highest in 2025
State rankings are calculated separately for girls and boys within each state. The SSA omits state-level names recorded fewer than five times, so low visible counts can still represent a relatively high state rank.
Top States for Girls
| State | Rank | Recorded Births |
|---|---|---|
| MD | #427 | 12 |
| TN | #453 | 17 |
| CT | #459 | 6 |
| IA | #492 | 6 |
| KY | #498 | 8 |
| MA | #564 | 9 |
| GA | #611 | 17 |
| WI | #612 | 7 |