Kelsey

Updated: October 14, 2023 by Stephanie Graham

Kelsey is a bright and cheerful unisex name. With its pleasing use of vowel sounds, Kelsey is a nice choice for parents searching for a name that sounds both classic and current. Kelsey Peters is a character on Younger, and “Kelsey” is also a song by Metro Station. Keep reading to learn more about this name.

Meaning and Origin of the name Kelsey:

Kelsey is a girl's name of English origin that means “ship's victory” and “fierce island.”

Kelsey derives from the Old English name Cēolsige, which combines the words “cēol” (meaning “ship”) and “sige” (meaning “victory”). It can also derive from a combination of the Old English word “cenel” (meaning “fierce”) and the word “eg” (meaning “island”).

Symbolism of the name Kelsey:

Kelsey means “ship's victory” or “fierce island.” This name combined the Old English element cēol (“ship”) with sige (“victory”). It indicated a victorious outcome for seafaring or island-dwelling people. The symbol for Kelsey is the ship's mast.

Nicknames for the name Kelsey:

Kelsey is a gorgeous nickname for girls. There are a few options for shortening the name Kelsey. Below is a short list of nicknames you can use for your baby girl. This list might spark some ideas for you when coming up with the perfect nickname.

Kel
Kell
Kels
Sey
Els

Style of the name Kelsey:

Classic

Gender of the name Kelsey:

Kelsey is a name used for both boys and girls.

Pronunciation of the name Kelsey:

KEHL-see

Number of syllables in the name Kelsey:

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Kelsey:

The name Kelsey evokes feelings of boldness and adventure.

Alternative spellings for the name Kelsey:

Kelcey
Kelsay
Kelsi
Kelci
Kelsie

Popularity of the name Kelsey:

According to the Social Security Administration index, Kelsey was the 527th most popular baby girl name in 2020. Kelsey also ranked among the top 1,000 baby boy names during the 1970s-1990s.