Kilee
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly a variation of Kyla.
Name Census estimates that about 1,787 living Americans carry the first name Kilee. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kilee today is around 22 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kilee births was 2008 (109 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kilee. 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
1.8K
~ 1 in 191,804 Americans
Peak year
2008
109 babies that year
Average age
22
years old
2024 SSA rank
#16,483
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Kilee: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kilee from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 839 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
Kilee 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 Kilee during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kilees live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. California, Texas, Utah recorded the most babies named Kilee, while Washington, Pennsylvania, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 20 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kilee
The name Kilee has its roots in the ancient Gaelic language, originating in the regions of Ireland and Scotland around the 5th century AD. It is derived from the Gaelic word "caolach," which means "slender" or "graceful." This name was often bestowed upon individuals who possessed a lithe or delicate physique.
In the early medieval period, the name Kilee was primarily used by Celtic clans in the Scottish Highlands and the western coastal regions of Ireland. It gained popularity among the noble families and was sometimes recorded in ancient genealogical records and clan histories.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kilee can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In this text, a warrior named Kilee mac Duib is mentioned as having participated in a battle against the Vikings in the year 856 AD.
Over the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Kilee. In the 12th century, Kilee of Bute was a renowned Scottish poet and bard whose works were widely celebrated during his lifetime. Another notable figure was Kilee O'Flaherty, an Irish chieftain from the 16th century, who played a significant role in the Gaelic resistance against English rule in Connacht.
In the realm of literature, Kilee McAlister was a celebrated Scottish novelist and playwright of the 19th century. Her works, which often explored themes of love, loss, and the resilience of the human spirit, gained critical acclaim and were widely read throughout the British Isles.
More recently, Kilee Jenner was a pioneering American aviatrix who made history in the 1930s by becoming the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Her daring feat paved the way for future generations of female pilots and inspired countless women to pursue their dreams in the field of aviation.
While the name Kilee has its origins in the ancient Celtic cultures, it has transcended geographical boundaries and continues to be used by families around the world, carrying with it a rich tapestry of historical significance and cultural heritage.
People
Kilee + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kilee 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
Kilee: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kilee?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,787 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kilee 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 191,804 US residents.
Is Kilee a common name?
We classify Kilee as "Rare". It ranks above 93.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,824 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kilee most popular?
The single biggest year for Kilee was 2008, when 109 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kilee is about 22 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kilee a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kilee 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.