Kelaine
A feminine name of American origin meaning "strong and victorious".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kelaine. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kelaine today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kelaine births was 1968 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kelaine. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Kelaine. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1968
6 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
1968 SSA rank
#6,594
Tracked since 1968
Popularity
Kelaine: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kelaine 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 Kelaine during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0 | 6 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kelaine
The given name Kelaine has its roots in ancient Greek culture, tracing back to the 5th century BCE. It is derived from the Greek word "kelainós," which means "black" or "dark." This name was likely given to individuals with dark hair or complexion during that era.
In Greek mythology, Kelaine was the name of a nymph associated with the island of Rhodes. She was said to be one of the companions of the goddess Artemis, the huntress and protector of young women. The name appears in some ancient Greek texts, such as the writings of the poet Pindar, who lived from 522 to 443 BCE.
The earliest recorded use of the name Kelaine can be traced back to the 4th century BCE, when a Greek woman from the city of Corinth bore this name. She was mentioned in a historical account written by the ancient Greek historian Xenophon.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Kelaine. One of the most famous was Kelaine of Lesbos, a renowned Greek poet who lived during the 3rd century BCE. She was known for her lyrical works and was celebrated for her skills in composing poetry.
Another prominent figure was Kelaine of Ephesus, a philosopher who lived in the 2nd century BCE. She was a follower of the Stoic school of thought and is mentioned in the writings of ancient philosophers such as Diogenes Laertius.
In the 1st century CE, there was a Roman woman named Kelaine who was a member of the Patrician class. She was noted for her philanthropic efforts and is mentioned in several historical records from that time.
During the Byzantine era, around the 6th century CE, a woman named Kelaine was a prominent figure in the court of Emperor Justinian I. She was known for her expertise in silk weaving and is credited with introducing new techniques to the Byzantine Empire.
Another notable individual was Kelaine of Antioch, a Christian martyr who lived in the 3rd century CE. She was persecuted for her faith during the reign of Emperor Diocletian and is venerated as a saint in some Christian traditions.
These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals who bore the name Kelaine throughout various eras and cultures, spanning from ancient Greece to the Byzantine Empire.
People
Kelaine + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kelaine 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
Kelaine: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kelaine?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kelaine 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Kelaine a common name?
We classify Kelaine as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kelaine most popular?
The single biggest year for Kelaine was 1968, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kelaine is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Kelaine in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kelaine a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kelaine 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.
Is Kelaine still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kelaine in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Kelaine can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Kelaine as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Kelaine, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.