Fun Facts About the Name Keilly
- 610 babies named Keilly: U.S. records list 610 babies given the name Keilly from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Keilly Mean?
Keilly has no single settled meaning, because the spelling matches more than one Irish source name. It is most often treated as a variant of Kelly, the anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh, which means "descendant of Ceallach." The personal name Ceallach is commonly explained as "bright-headed," though some connect it instead with ceall, "church," and the precise sense is disputed. Keilly is also used for Keely, from the Irish surname Ó Caollaidhe, formed from caol, "slender" or "comely." Because one spelling can stand for either name, no single literal meaning can be assigned to Keilly itself; the meaning depends on which parent name is intended.
Keilly Name History & Origins
Keilly is a respelling rather than an inherited Irish form. In English-speaking countries, personal names have long been written in several ways, and the -eilly ending blends the look of Kelly with the sound of Keely.
Kelly goes back to the Irish surname Ó Ceallaigh, "descendant of Ceallach." The name Ceallach was borne by early Irish figures, including Cellach of Armagh, an abbot and saint, and it later became one of the most widespread surnames in Ireland before it was widely used as a first name in the English-speaking world. Keely has a separate background: it comes from the surname Ó Caollaidhe, an anglicized Irish family name found in Leinster and elsewhere. Keilly's background therefore has to be traced through these two names, not through a distinct Irish original.
How Popular is the Name Keilly?
Keilly has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2011. Its best rank was #3,382 in 2011.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9,165 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2024 | #8,155 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #9,303 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 2022 | #7,460 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 2021 | #8,262 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2020 | #6,491 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 2019 | #7,189 | 16 | 0.0010% |
| 2018 | #6,946 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2017 | #7,252 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2016 | #6,290 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2015 | #5,750 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2014 | #5,894 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2013 | #4,826 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 2012 | #4,658 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 2011 | #3,382 | 48 | 0.0027% |
| 2010 | #5,512 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 2009 | #3,770 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 2008 | #4,132 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 2007 | #5,026 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2006 | #4,888 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2005 | #4,774 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2004 | #5,857 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 2003 | #6,183 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2002 | #7,251 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #7,138 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #5,232 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1999 | #10,870 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #14,894 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #14,516 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #12,585 | 6 | 0.0003% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Keilly Shapes Your Personality and Life?
EXTREMES in fortune, health and spirituality. You are very versatile, idealistic and intuitive. You either enjoy great success or suffer abject misery. The solution is service to others. Use your leadership abilities for humanity and not for self-glorification. You have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Keilly's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Keilly's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.