Kelsey

#814 for girls in 2025, 335 births · #6,143 for boys in 2025, 14 births
Given to girls 96.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1992 · 11,713 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
15 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
150,416
since 1942

Kelsey over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201988peak #23, 1992girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#814335#6,14314
2024#673430#9,8947
2023#663444#7,28911
2022#632466#4,44223
2021#623477#7,08911
2020#525574#5,69915
2019#470664#5,55516
2018#420740#5,32017
2017#396788#4,93519
2016#383859#7,60510
2015#343955#5,05818
2014#3281,017#4,70220
2013#3041,049#6,60312
2012#2671,214#3,80727
2011#2541,266#3,99425
2010#2331,349#4,84819
2009#2121,521#4,16024
2008#1951,716#3,34433
2007#2011,699#3,02538
2006#1851,898#2,54247
2005#1731,960#2,80338
2004#1482,198#1,74872
2003#1302,569#2,47042
2002#1182,883#2,09251
2001#1003,267#1,65970
2000#883,669#1,76862
1999#724,400#1,32091
1998#565,551#1,23199
1997#575,573#1,19899
1996#367,655#930140
1995#338,184#862157
1994#299,749#827166
1993#2411,380#829161
1992#2311,713#802169
1991#2611,435#747186
1990#329,494#726197
1989#319,256#631250
1988#645,452#649213
1987#674,574#720161
1986#1122,517#769140
1985#1681,699#805121
1984#1771,555#784122
1983#2241,116#813115
1982#310791#865106
1981#434490#890100
1980#601308#92094
1979#737222#92690
1978#887164#94584
1977#959144#92884
1976#1,055116#832101
1975#1,111105#84197
1974#1,23988#95373
1973#1,31277#94173
1972#1,32576#94373
1971#1,45671#96571
1970#1,82848#94072
1969#1,83545#1,28038
1968#2,53824#1,21739
1967#2,07932#1,57324
1966#3,04017#1,61323
1965#3,14916#1,91817
1964#2,82520#1,65523
1963#2,61922#1,90218
1962#2,81419#1,75721
1961#2,95718#2,14815
1960#3,51213#1,77221
1959#3,10415#1,58825
1958#2,37623#2,26513
1957#3,48912#1,83719
1956#3,49312#1,67622
1955#2,83916#2,21913
1954#3,01914#1,76219
1953#2,51618#2,09914
1952#3,55210#2,15313
1951#3,7149#1,83817
1950#3,42310#2,5809
1949#4,6736#1,50124
1948#3,5939#1,70319
1947#4,0078#2,8628
1946#3,9947#1,81316
1945#4,0256#2,00912
1944—#2,08012
1943—#2,18212
1942#4,6225#1,94614
1941—#2,20711
1940—#2,6718
1939—#2,28810
1938—#2,08412
1937—#1,82815
1936—#2,6298
1935—#2,7198
1934—#3,6795
1933—#2,36810
1932—#2,31311
1931—#2,20712
1930—#1,88916
1929—#2,45211
1928—#2,38712
1927—#2,70310
1926—#2,07415
1925—#1,87018
1924—#2,22914
1923—#2,02016
1922—#2,80110
1921—#2,15215
1920—#3,4897
1919—#2,26513
1918—#2,07315
1917—#2,42311
1916—#2,15213
1915—#2,6219
1914—#2,10110
1913—#1,67611
1912—#1,61910
1911——
1910—#1,5895
1909——
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1907——
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1891—#9635
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First appearance
1942

The first year at least five girls were named Kelsey! It came in at #4,622, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1942–1944, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Kelsey is popular in 1988

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #26 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 109 girlsAKMaine: #33 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 128 girlsMEVermont: #31 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 109 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #53 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 201 girlsNHWashington: #21 for girls · 231 births · 1 in 121 girlsWAIdaho: #48 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 187 girlsIDMontana: #12 for girls · 58 births · 1 in 61 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #16 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 68 girlsNDMinnesota: #23 for girls · 275 births · 1 in 100 girlsMNIllinois: #57 for girls · 283 births · 1 in 260 girlsILWisconsin: #48 for girls · 142 births · 1 in 202 girlsWIMichigan: #60 for girls · 202 births · 1 in 284 girlsMINew York: #144 for girls · 134 births · 1 in 851 girlsNYMassachusetts: #75 for girls · 108 births · 1 in 345 girlsMARhode Island: #49 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 185 girlsRIOregon: #31 for girls · 111 births · 1 in 141 girlsORNevada: #58 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 236 girlsNVWyoming: #29 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 103 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #20 for girls · 50 births · 1 in 74 girlsSDIowa: #16 for girls · 198 births · 1 in 79 girlsIAIndiana: #44 for girls · 172 births · 1 in 197 girlsINOhio: #59 for girls · 245 births · 1 in 280 girlsOHPennsylvania: #63 for girls · 226 births · 1 in 309 girlsPANew Jersey: #103 for girls · 78 births · 1 in 581 girlsNJConnecticut: #60 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 276 girlsCTCalifornia: #85 for girls · 533 births · 1 in 429 girlsCAUtah: #29 for girls · 99 births · 1 in 137 girlsUTColorado: #35 for girls · 141 births · 1 in 148 girlsCONebraska: #29 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 122 girlsNEMissouri: #43 for girls · 180 births · 1 in 176 girlsMOKentucky: #63 for girls · 70 births · 1 in 292 girlsKYWest Virginia: #103 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 481 girlsWVVirginia: #76 for girls · 92 births · 1 in 390 girlsVAMaryland: #64 for girls · 85 births · 1 in 306 girlsMDDelaware: #63 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 250 girlsDEArizona: #60 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 280 girlsAZNew Mexico: #61 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 259 girlsNMKansas: #24 for girls · 123 births · 1 in 116 girlsKSArkansas: #73 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 343 girlsARTennessee: #69 for girls · 81 births · 1 in 357 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #95 for girls · 74 births · 1 in 518 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #117 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 625 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #108 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 476 girlsDCOklahoma: #36 for girls · 105 births · 1 in 166 girlsOKLouisiana: #86 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 446 girlsLAMississippi: #134 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 641 girlsMSAlabama: #134 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 721 girlsALGeorgia: #101 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 581 girlsGAHawaii: #41 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 172 girlsHITexas: #86 for girls · 320 births · 1 in 401 girlsTXFlorida: #87 for girls · 156 births · 1 in 467 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Montana#12 · 1 in 61
  2. North Dakota#16 · 1 in 68
  3. Iowa#16 · 1 in 79
  4. South Dakota#20 · 1 in 74
  5. Washington#21 · 1 in 121

Best ever in a state: #6 in Montana, 1992.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Montana#12581 in 61
Iowa#161981 in 79
North Dakota#16601 in 68
South Dakota#20501 in 74
Washington#212311 in 121
Minnesota#232751 in 100
Kansas#241231 in 116
Alaska#26301 in 109
Nebraska#29741 in 122
Utah#29991 in 137
Wyoming#29181 in 103
Oregon#311111 in 141
Vermont#31241 in 109
Maine#33481 in 128
Colorado#351411 in 148
Oklahoma#361051 in 166
Hawaii#41291 in 172
Missouri#431801 in 176
Indiana#441721 in 197
Idaho#48281 in 187
Wisconsin#481421 in 202
Rhode Island#49281 in 185
New Hampshire#53331 in 201
Illinois#572831 in 260
Nevada#58241 in 236
Ohio#592451 in 280
Arizona#60901 in 280
Connecticut#60681 in 276
Michigan#602021 in 284
New Mexico#61361 in 259
Delaware#63141 in 250
Kentucky#63701 in 292
Pennsylvania#632261 in 309
Maryland#64851 in 306
Tennessee#69811 in 357
Arkansas#73361 in 343
Massachusetts#751081 in 345
Virginia#76921 in 390
California#855331 in 429
Louisiana#86591 in 446
Texas#863201 in 401
Florida#871561 in 467
North Carolina#95741 in 518
Georgia#101691 in 581
New Jersey#103781 in 581
West Virginia#103181 in 481
District of Columbia#108131 in 476
South Carolina#117301 in 625
Alabama#134301 in 721
Mississippi#134211 in 641
New York#1441341 in 851

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Kelsey
Momentum · girls
Falling
  • 141 spots since 2024 (#673 → #814)
  • 289 spots since 2020 (#525 → #814)
  • 471 spots since 2015 (#343 → #814)
  • Biggest jump: 167 spots in 1981 (#601 → #434)
  • Biggest drop: 141 spots in 2025 (#673 → #814)
Rise & fade · girls
50 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1942
  • Peaked 1992 at #23 (11,713 births)
  • Births halved by 1997, 5 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 15 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 15 yrs · run 1987–2001
  • Top 1,000: 49 yrs · run 1977–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 157
  • Highest: 1 in 157 girls born in 1992 were named Kelsey (0.64%)
  • Latest: 1 in 4,798 girls born in 2025 (0.02%)
Era · girls
The 1990s
  • 56.6% of all girls named Kelsey (85,134) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1940s41#3,593 (1948)#4,152
1950s139#2,376 (1958)#3,153
1960s226#1,835 (1969)#2,737
1970s1,111#737 (1979)#1,191
1980s27,758#31 (1989)#219
1990s85,134#23 (1992)#39
2000s23,380#88 (2000)#155
2010s9,901#233 (2010)#340
2020s2,726#525 (2020)#655

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Kelsey in 1988

girls
#64
5,452 births · 1 in 327 girls
boys
#649
213 births · 1 in 8,987 boys

Top girls' names in 1988

  1. #1Jessica51,556
  2. #2Ashley49,977
  3. #3Amanda39,459
  4. #4Sarah28,374
  5. #5Jennifer27,893
  6. #6Brittany26,816
  7. #7Stephanie22,843
  8. #8Samantha20,700
  9. #9Nicole20,315
  10. #10Elizabeth20,042
  11. #64Kelsey5,452

Top boys' names in 1988

  1. #1Michael64,171
  2. #2Christopher53,014
  3. #3Matthew45,876
  4. #4Joshua42,653
  5. #5Andrew35,745
  6. #6David35,329
  7. #7Justin35,055
  8. #8Daniel34,718
  9. #9James32,523
  10. #10Robert30,319
  11. #649Kelsey213
More about 1988

girls

1,780,854 girls got a published name in 1988; 1 in 327 of them was named Kelsey, which outranked 99.5% of the 13,883 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kelsey
  1. #61Hannah5,562
  2. #62Jacqueline5,544
  3. #63Natalie5,483
  4. #64Kelsey5,452
  5. #65April4,840
  6. #66Jenna4,607
  7. #67Tara4,606
Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,890Jalissa#3,857 → #967
  2. ↑ 2,381Taja#3,101 → #720
  3. ↑ 1,710Whitley#2,156 → #446
  4. ↑ 1,225Jalisa#1,662 → #437
  5. ↑ 883Jaleesa#1,227 → #344
Fallers
  1. ↓ 620Channing#590 → #1,210
  2. ↓ 346Denisse#954 → #1,300
  3. ↓ 319Jeana#966 → #1,285
  4. ↓ 314Eliana#826 → #1,140
  5. ↓ 311Nakia#893 → #1,204

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,914,283 boys got a published name in 1988; 1 in 8,987 of them was named Kelsey, which outranked 92.4% of the 8,495 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 21.4% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Kelsey
  1. #644Jim215
  2. #647Keegan214
  3. #647Rico214
  4. #649Kelsey213
  5. #649Garry213
  6. #651Scotty212
  7. #652Barrett211
  8. #652Robbie211

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1987
Risers
  1. ↑ 3,252Nico#4,239 → #987
  2. ↑ 1,245Ridge#2,215 → #970
  3. ↑ 668Colten#1,484 → #816
  4. ↑ 600Brantley#1,587 → #987
  5. ↑ 518Long#1,337 → #819
Fallers
  1. ↓ 362Cordaro#908 → #1,270
  2. ↓ 246Ramsey#884 → #1,130
  3. ↓ 241Yaakov#974 → #1,215
  4. ↓ 233Adrain#990 → #1,223
  5. ↓ 230Kiel#846 → #1,076

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1988 →