Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Kelii as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kelii

Add to my Name List

The baby name Kelii is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced keh-LEE-ee.

Kelii is Hawaiian in Origin.

Gender: Male
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Hawaiian
Pronunciation: keh-LEE-ee

What is the meaning of the name Kelii ?

The baby name Kelii is a Male name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced keh-LEE-ee.

Kelii is Hawaiian in Origin.

Kelii is a Hawaiian given name from the phrase ke aliʻi, “the chief, the noble.” Ke is the definite article “the,” and aliʻi denotes the hereditary ruling class in traditional Hawaiian society. In modern romanization it appears as Kelii (undiacritized), Keliʻi (with ʻokina), or Keli'i; related forms include Kealii, Kealiʻi, and Keali'i, which preserve the original vowel of aliʻi. Pronunciation is keh-LEE-ee, with a glottal stop before the final vowel.

Documented in 19th-century Hawaiian baptismal and governmental records following the standardization of the written language by missionaries, the name signaled esteem for chiefly virtues and status. It has been borne by men most commonly, yet functions as unisex today and also occurs as a middle name or as part of compound names honoring aliʻi lineages. Usage remains strongest in Hawaiʻi and among the Hawaiian diaspora, with occasional appearance in U.S. records.

Kelii has the following similar or variant Names

Kelii – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
JP Girls 0 #251 1 6,592
AL Boys 0 #300 4 5,122
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
UY Boys 0 #413 1 5,922
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
AR Girls 0 #630 1 8,289
United States Boys 2023 #893 6 7,053
CL Girls 0 #914 2 14,098
CO Boys 0 #981 1 15,656
BR Girls 0 #990 3 12,708
CO Girls 0 #1,060 19 16,140
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
MX Girls 0 #1,262 6 17,781
SA Boys 0 #1,691 1 28,008

Kelii is popular in 13 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
AL
AR
BO
BR

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Kelii

Kelii is predominantly a boy's name.
Kelii is a 3 syllable name, pronounced keh-LEE-ee.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Keliʻi, Keli'i and Keli.
Across languages, Kelii has these equivalents: Aliʻi (Hawaiian, 'chief'), Ariki (Māori, 'chief'), Rex (Latin, 'king'), Roy (English/French, 'king'), Rey (Spanish, 'king'), and 1 more.
Somewhat — Kelii ranked #893 in United States in 2023, placing it just outside the most common names.
Kelii's popularity is declining. It moved from #887 in 2014 to #893 in 2023 in United States.