Keeli
Derived from the Hawaiian ki 'li, meaning "bright and shining."
Name Census estimates that about 1,147 living Americans carry the first name Keeli. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Keeli today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keeli births was 2002 (56 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keeli. 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
1.1K
~ 1 in 298,827 Americans
Peak year
2002
56 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2022 SSA rank
#14,450
Tracked since 1958
Popularity
Keeli: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keeli from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 393 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
Keeli 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 Keeli during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Keelis live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. Texas, California, Florida recorded the most babies named Keeli, while Tennessee, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 24 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Keeli
The name Keeli is believed to have originated in the Celtic regions of ancient Britain and Ireland. It is derived from the Gaelic word "caol," meaning "slender" or "graceful." The earliest known record of the name dates back to the 6th century AD, when it was used to refer to a young maiden in a poem by the Irish bard, Taliesin.
In medieval times, the name Keeli was commonly found in various parts of the British Isles, particularly in Wales and Scotland. It was often associated with the noble class and was borne by several influential figures during this period. One notable example is Keeli of Gwynedd, a Welsh princess who lived in the 12th century and played a significant role in the political affairs of her time.
The name Keeli also appears in several ancient Celtic legends and folklore. In the Irish mythological cycle known as the Fenian Cycle, there is a character named Keeli, who was a fierce warrior and companion of the legendary hero, Finn McCool. This association with bravery and strength may have contributed to the name's popularity among Celtic cultures.
During the Renaissance period, the name Keeli gained popularity across Europe, particularly in England and France. One notable figure from this era was Keeli Gwynne, an English poet and translator who lived in the 16th century and was renowned for her works celebrating the beauty of nature.
In the 19th century, the name Keeli was borne by several influential women, including Keeli Stanton, an American suffragist and abolitionist who fought for women's rights and the abolition of slavery. Another notable figure was Keeli Millette, a French artist and sculptor whose works were widely celebrated during the Impressionist movement.
Other historical figures with the name Keeli include Keeli O'Connor, an Irish revolutionary who played a significant role in the Easter Rising of 1916, and Keeli Bharat, an Indian freedom fighter who participated in the non-violent resistance movement against British rule in the early 20th century.
People
Keeli + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keeli as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Keeli: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keeli?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,147 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keeli 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 298,827 US residents.
Is Keeli a common name?
We classify Keeli as "Rare". It ranks above 91% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,190 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keeli most popular?
The single biggest year for Keeli was 2002, when 56 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keeli is about 28 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Keeli a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keeli 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.