Gelsey
A feminine name of unknown origin, possibly related to "grace".
Name Census estimates that about 221 living Americans carry the first name Gelsey. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Gelsey today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Gelsey births was 2002 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Gelsey. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
221
~ 1 in 1,550,925 Americans
Peak year
2002
19 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2013 SSA rank
#15,261
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Gelsey: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Gelsey from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 110 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Gelsey by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Gelsey during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Gelseys live
Origin
Meaning and history of Gelsey
The given name Gelsey is believed to have its origins in the Celtic languages, specifically Welsh and Cornish. It is thought to be a variant of the name Gelsyn, which itself is derived from the Welsh word "gelsin," meaning "chestnut-colored."
In the early Middle Ages, the name Gelsyn was primarily found in Wales and Cornwall, regions with strong Celtic cultural influences. The earliest recorded instance of the spelling "Gelsey" dates back to the 12th century, when it appeared in a Welsh genealogical record.
While the name Gelsey does not have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its Celtic roots suggest a connection to the rich folklore and mythology of the region. The name's association with the chestnut color may have held symbolic significance in the cultural traditions of the time.
One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the name Gelsey was Gelsey ap Gruffydd (c. 1260-1315), a Welsh nobleman and military leader who played a role in the Welsh Wars of Independence against the English crown.
Another prominent figure with this name was Gelsey Fitzwarren (c. 1320-1390), an English merchant and landowner who was a prominent figure in the city of Bristol during the 14th century.
In the literary realm, Gelsey Merrick (1525-1598) was a Welsh poet and songwriter known for her contributions to the tradition of Welsh bardic poetry.
Moving into the modern era, Gelsey Kirkland (born 1952) is an American ballerina and choreographer who achieved widespread acclaim for her performances with the American Ballet Theatre and the New York City Ballet.
Finally, Gelsey Bell (born 1986) is a Canadian actress and model best known for her roles in television series such as "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" and "Supernatural."
People
Gelsey + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Gelsey as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Gelsey: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Gelsey?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 221 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Gelsey going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,550,925 US residents.
Is Gelsey a common name?
We classify Gelsey as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 226 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Gelsey most popular?
The single biggest year for Gelsey was 2002, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Gelsey is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Gelsey a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Gelsey in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.