Kelly (name)

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This article is about the given name and surname Kelly. For other uses, see Kelly.

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Kelly (pronounced /ˈkɛli/) is an Irish origin given name and surname. Etymologically, it originated as a patronymic surname, with the prefix Ó ("grandchild", or "male descendant") and the suffix Ceallach ("strife", or "contention"), an Old Gaelic clan name, Ó Ceallaigh (anglicisized as "O'Kelly").[1]

It's been adapted to mean "Brave Warrior" in many English language armies (for example, the Irish Army, British Army, and Australian Army), and "Warrior Princess" by American popular culture.[citation needed] Kelly is the second most common family name in Ireland (after Murphy).[citation needed]

Alternate origins are locational:[1]

  • In England, from Kelli in Devonshire, reflected as the Welsh/Cornish celli ("grove"), in public records dating as far back as 1194.
  • In Scotland, from Kelly, near Arbroath, Angus, reflected as the Gaelic coille ("wood" or "grove"), in public records dating as far back as 1373.

There are several surname variants including: Cheallaigh (add the prefix Ní for a maiden name,[2] instead of the masculine prefix Ó; see example Lisa Kelly/Laoise Ní Cheallaigh), Kelle, Kelley (often associated with pre-famine, mostly Protestant emigrants, during the Irish diaspora, though the clerks at Ellis Island spelled it multiple ways), Kellog, Kellye, Kellyn, and McCullough.

Kelly, and variants, was originally only a surname. With transferred use, Kelly become a popular masculine given name also, and subsequently became a popular feminine given name also. According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Kelly, girl's name, was ranked #999 in 1944, then steadily gained popularity through 1977 (#10), before declining (#212 in 2006); Kelly, boy's name, was ranked in the top 600 through 1939, then steadily gained popularity through 1968 (#97), before declining (#884 in 2002).[3] There are several given name variants, including: Keely ("strife", or "war"), Kellee, Kelleen, Kelleigh, Kelley, Kelli, Kellie, and Kellye.[4].

People with the name Kelly or its variants include:

[edit] Surname

Kelly
Family Name
Meaning "strife"; "contention"
Region of origin Ireland
Related names Cheallaigh, Kelle, Kelley, Kellog, Kellye, Kellyn, McCullough
Popularity Behind the Name 
Wikipedia articles All pages beginning with Kelly

[edit] A - G

[edit] H - M

[edit] N - Z

[edit] O'Kelly

[edit] Kelley

[edit] First name

Kelly
Given Name
Pronunciation KEL-ee
Gender Unisex
Meaning "descendant of Ceallach"
"bright-headed"
"strife"
"church, monastery"
Related names Kellee, Kelleen, Kelleigh, Kelley, Kelli, Kellie, and Kellye
Wikipedia articles All pages beginning with Kelly
Look up Kelly in
Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

[edit] Kelly (women)

[edit] Kelly (men)

  • Kelly Chase, broadcaster; retired hockey player
  • Kelly Donohue (born 1925), philanthropist; slide-pianist
  • Kelly Gruber (born 1963), Major League baseball player (Toronto Blue Jays)
  • Kelly Holcomb, NFL Quarterback (Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles)
  • Kelly Hrudey (born 1961), NHL goaltender and CBC hockey commentator
  • Kelly Hill (born 1991), has an awesome poster of slash on his bedroom wall
  • Kelly Jones, singer, songwriter and guitarist (Stereophonics)
  • Kelly Pavlik, WBO and WBA Middleweight Champion Boxer
  • Kelly Perdew, winner of The Apprentice 2
  • Kelly O'Donnell, Sports Anchor, GOLTV
  • Kelly Reno (born 1966), juvenile actor
  • Kelly Slater, World Champion surfer
  • Kelly Stinnett, American baseball catcher
  • Kelly Sutherland, NHL referee
  • Robert Kelly "Rob" Thomas, (born 1972) lead singer of Matchbox Twenty
  • Kelly Thean, JR + PR Practitioner, pianist

[edit] Kelley/Kelli/Kellie

[edit] Fictional characters

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Surname: Kelly. surnamedb.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  2. ^ The Names (na hAinmneacha Dilse). nualeargais.ie. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.
  3. ^ Popularity of the male name Kelly. ssa.gov. Retrieved on 3008-03-16.
  4. ^ Kelly - name meaning & origin. thinkbabynames.com. Retrieved on 2008-03-16.

[edit] See also

WP Anthroponymy notice This page or section lists people with the given name Kelly. If an internal link for a specific person referred you to this page, you may wish to add the surname to that link.
WP Anthroponymy notice This page or section lists people with the surname Kelly. If an internal link for a specific person referred you to this page, you may wish to add the given name(s) to that link.