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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 of the name Kelsey:

English: Ship's victory, fierce island

Origin of the name Kelsey:

Kelsey derives from the Old English name Ceolsige (meaning “ship's 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.

Baby name: Kelsey

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:

Nicknames for the name Kelsey:

  • Kel
  • Kell
  • Kels

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.

Related names for the name Kelsey:

Great middle names for Kelsey and their meanings:

Famous people with the name Kelsey:

  • Kelsey Renée Bone (basketball player)
  • Kelsey Asbille Chow (actress)
  • Kelsey Laine Davis (soccer player)
  • Kelsey Grammer (actor and producer)
  • Kelsey Gabriel Elias Grammer (son of Kelsey Grammer)
  • Kelsey Elizabeth Griswold (pageant winner)
  • Kelsey Christine Plum (basketball player)

Kelsey in popular culture:

  • Kelsey Hayes (character in the Tiger's Curse series)
  • Kelsey Peters (character on Younger)