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    The first name Kelsey

    A girl’s name from English meaning “ship”.

    Pronounced /ˈkɛlsi/ 2 syllables Female Also a surname

    Meaning and origin

    English origin

    Kelsey means “ship” in English.

    From Old English cēol (“ship”) + ieġ.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 25 girls were named Kelsey, making it the 1,271st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1998, with 596 births (#87).

    0300600 1996200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    7,470
    babies named Kelsey, 1996–2025
    #1,271
    rank in 2025
    1998
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Kelsey with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Kelsey at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 335 girls born in the United States were named Kelsey, the 814th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1992, when 11,713 were.

    010,00020,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    155,738
    babies named Kelsey since 1880
    #814
    rank in 2025
    1992
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Kelsey

    • Kels

    Other spellings and forms

    Famous people named Kelsey

    15 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Kelsey Grammer
      American actor, born 1955
    • Kelsey Asbille
      American actress (born 1991)
    • Kelsey-Lee Barber
      Australian javelin thrower (1991-)
    • Kelsey Plum
      American basketball player (born 1994)
    • Kelsey Serwa
      Canadian freestyle skier, born 1989
    • Kelsey Mitchell
      Canadian track cyclist (1993-)
    • Kelsey Robinson
      American volleyball player and beach volleyball player, born 1992
    • Kelsey Mitchell
      American basketball player (born 1995)
    • Kelsey Mann
      American film director, born 1974
    • Kelsey Nakanelua
      American Samoan athletics competitor, born 1966
    • Kelsey Bone
      American basketball player (born 1991)
    • Kelsey Stewart
      American softball player, born 1994

    More English girls’ names

    All 216 names of English origin

    Questions

    What does the name Kelsey mean?
    Kelsey means “ship” in English.
    What is the origin of the name Kelsey?
    From Old English cēol (“ship”) + ieġ.
    How popular is the name Kelsey?
    In 2025, 25 girls born in England and Wales were named Kelsey, ranking 1,271st. Its peak was 1998, with 596 births.
    What are nicknames for Kelsey?
    Common nicknames for Kelsey include Kels.
    Is Kelsey a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 97% of the 155,738 US babies named Kelsey since 1880 were girls.
    When was Kelsey most popular?
    1992 in the United States, when 11,713 babies were named Kelsey, its highest rank at 23rd.
    How do you pronounce Kelsey?
    Kelsey is /ˈkɛlsi/, 2 syllables.
    What are other spellings of Kelsey?
    Kielce, Kelsie, Kelcie, Kelcy, Kelsy and Kelse.
    Is Kelsey also a surname?
    Yes. Kelsey is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.