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Kelli as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Kelli

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The baby name Kelli is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkɛli/ (KEL-ee).

Kelli is English, Irish in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English, Irish
Pronunciation: /ˈkɛli/ (KEL-ee)

What is the meaning of the name Kelli ?

The baby name Kelli is a Female name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈkɛli/ (KEL-ee).

Kelli is English, Irish in Origin.

Kelli is a modern feminine respelling of Kelly, which derives from the Irish surname O Ceallaigh, "descendant of Ceallach." The Old Irish personal name Ceallach has uncertain roots, commonly interpreted as "bright-headed" or connected to "strife/war"; a later folk association links it to ceall, "church," reflecting pious connotations. As with many Gaelic surnames adopted as given names, Kelli carries a surname-to-first-name heritage while retaining a Celtic lilt.

Used as a given name in the English-speaking world since the late 19th century, Kelly was long unisex; by the 1960s-80s it skewed strongly feminine, helped by pop culture, and the spelling Kelli rose sharply in the United States during the 1970s-90s before declining. Variants and related spellings include Kelly, Kellie, Kelley, Kellee, and Kelleigh; diminutives include Kel and Kels. The name remains approachable and brisk, with Irish roots and modern flair.

Kelli has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Kelli

Kelli Berglund Actor · Born 1996 · United States Kelli Berglund is an American actress best known for playing Bree Davenport in Disney XD’s Lab Rats and Lab Rats: Elite Force. Born on February 9, 1996, she became widely recognized for her starring role in the popular superhero comedy series. Kelli Williams Actor · Born 1970 · United States Kelli Williams is an American actor best known for her role as Lindsay Dole on the television series 'The Practice'. She also starred in 'Lie to Me' as Dr. Gillian Foster and appeared in the series 'Army Wives'. Kelli McCarty Actor · Born 1969 · United States Kelli McCarty is an American actress best known for her role as Beth Wallace on the soap opera 'Passions'. She also gained attention for winning the Miss USA title in 1991.
Kelli Giddish Actor · Born 1980 · United States Kelli Giddish is an American actor best known for her role as Detective Amanda Rollins on the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has been a part of the show since 2011, bringing depth and nuance to her character. Before that, she appeared in the soap opera All My Children as Di Henry. Kelli O'Hara Actor · Born 1976 · United States Kelli O'Hara is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She gained acclaim for her role as Anna Leonowens in the Broadway revival of 'The King and I', for which she won a Tony Award. She has also starred in productions like 'South Pacific' and 'The Light in the Piazza'.

Kelli – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2006 #1 834
ET Boys 0 #27 1 678
EE 0 #35 3 1,051
TW 0 #103 1 4,523
QA 0 #106 1 7,011
EE Girls 0 #108 31 1,888
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
PA 0 #138 1 3,797
CR 0 #146 13 5,526
BW Girls 0 #151 1 4,216
MT Girls 0 #153 1 3,773
Sweden Girls 2012 #171 2 1,538
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
PL 0 #212 1 2,600
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
NA Girls 0 #237 1 7,146
JP Girls 0 #246 6 6,592
PT 0 #249 2 4,161
EC Girls 0 #257 2 3,650
MO Girls 0 #262 2 7,056
JM Girls 0 #272 7 7,507
SG 0 #282 1 11,010
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
Canada Girls 2007 #301 5 2,781
AL Boys 0 #303 1 5,122
BR 0 #322 24 5,969
PE 0 #328 2 6,350
KZ Girls 0 #330 3 5,862
GH Girls 0 #336 2 6,973
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
CN Girls 0 #353 7 8,829
GH Boys 0 #361 1 8,138
MU Girls 0 #361 2 8,539
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
OM Girls 0 #424 1 15,987
PH Girls 0 #428 2 13,098
CL 0 #433 2 6,867
PT Girls 0 #466 6 7,952
ZA 0 #468 7 14,421
CR Girls 0 #482 51 11,342
CO 0 #508 3 7,768
CR Boys 0 #510 1 10,188
PA Girls 0 #513 6 9,861
RU Girls 0 #515 9 11,913
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
GT Girls 0 #535 7 7,500
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Girls 0 #545 3 10,981
CM Girls 0 #556 5 11,671
LY 0 #559 1 12,703
KW Girls 0 #560 2 19,177
CM Boys 0 #575 1 12,054
SG Girls 0 #576 11 18,916
BR Girls 0 #581 420 12,708
BH 0 #587 1 17,937
AE Girls 0 #595 3 20,968
HK Girls 0 #606 10 16,104
AR Girls 0 #628 3 8,289
IL Girls 0 #642 4 11,648
BO Girls 0 #648 4 9,488
IQ Boys 0 #697 1 13,071
CO Girls 0 #726 392 16,140
Finland Girls 2026 #734 5 3,895
SG Boys 0 #739 1 17,960
QA Boys 0 #743 1 18,093
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
BR Boys 0 #779 7 12,213
NG Girls 0 #822 5 15,093
Germany Girls 0 #828 11 4,949
TN 0 #865 1 13,765
PE Girls 0 #877 67 14,861
United States Girls 2024 #902 15 8,487
CO Boys 0 #907 14 15,656
CL Girls 0 #908 8 14,098
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
Spain Girls 0 #972 12 5,561
NG Boys 0 #996 6 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,009 1 14,742
IN Boys 0 #1,038 2 16,750
MY Girls 0 #1,068 5 24,821
ZA Girls 0 #1,101 41 25,928
AE Boys 0 #1,142 2 22,615
MX Girls 0 #1,151 33 17,781
MY Boys 0 #1,181 2 25,439
MA 0 #1,196 4 20,986
DZ 0 #1,234 1 20,130
TR 0 #1,253 2 19,440
ZA Boys 0 #1,272 1 25,619
IT Girls 0 #1,384 63 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,688 4 28,008

Kelli is popular in 67 countries — most recent births per country:

United States
Canada
Scotland, United Kingdom
Ireland
Sweden

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People also ask about Kelli

Kelli is predominantly a girl's name.
Kelli is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈkɛli/ (KEL-ee).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Kelly, Kellie, Kelley, Kellee, Kelleigh and Keli.
Across languages, Kelli has these equivalents: Ó Ceallaigh (original Irish surname), Ceallach (original Gaelic personal name), Kelly (unisex form).
Yes, very popular — Kelli ranked #1 in Ireland in 2006, and appears in official birth registries across 6 countries.
Kelli ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2006).
Kelli's popularity is declining significantly. It moved from #881 in 2014 to #902 in 2024 in United States.
Yes — 5 notable people named Kelli are in our database, including Kelli Berglund (Actor), Kelli Williams (Actor), Kelli McCarty (Actor).