Kells
An Irish masculine name meaning "woods" or "peaceful".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Kells. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Kells today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kells births was 2022 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kells. 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 Kells. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2022
5 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2022 SSA rank
#13,363
Tracked since 2022
Popularity
Kells: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Kells 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 Kells during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Kells
The name Kells has its origins in the ancient Celtic language and culture. It is believed to have derived from the Old Irish word "ceall," which means "church" or "monastery." This name is closely associated with the Book of Kells, a famous illuminated manuscript created by Celtic monks around the year 800 AD in the monastery of Kells, located in County Meath, Ireland.
The Book of Kells is renowned for its intricate and ornate decorations, featuring intricate Celtic knots, spirals, and vibrant colors. It is considered one of the finest examples of insular art, a style that flourished in the monasteries of the British Isles during the early Middle Ages. The name Kells gained recognition and significance due to its association with this iconic manuscript.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kells can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 807 AD, the Annals mention the "Scribe of the wonderful and unparalleled Book of Kells," referring to the monastery and the creation of the famous manuscript.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Kells. One of the most famous was Saint Coelius Sedulius (fl. 5th century), an Irish monk and poet who is believed to have lived in the 5th century. He is best known for his work "Carmen Paschale," a poetic retelling of the life of Christ.
Another person of note was Colman of Kells (d. 629), an Irish saint and abbot who founded the monastery of Kells in County Meath. He played a significant role in the spread of Christianity in Ireland and is remembered for his piety and leadership.
In the literary world, John Kells Ingram (1823-1907) was an Irish scholar and economist who made significant contributions to the field of economics and served as the president of Trinity College, Dublin.
The name Kells has also been associated with artistic and creative individuals. Francis Seymour Haden (1818-1910), an English painter and etcher, was born Francis Seymour Kells and later changed his name to Haden.
Additionally, Kells Clemens (1880-1963) was an American painter and illustrator known for his work in the Golden Age of Illustration. He was particularly renowned for his illustrations in popular magazines such as Collier's and The Saturday Evening Post.
While the name Kells is not as common today as it once was, its historical significance and connections to Irish culture and the Book of Kells make it a unique and fascinating name with a rich heritage.
People
Kells + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kells 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
Kells: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kells?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kells 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 Kells a common name?
We classify Kells 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, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kells most popular?
The single biggest year for Kells was 2022, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kells is about 4 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 Kells in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Kells a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kells in the SSA data are male. 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 Kells still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Kells 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 Kells 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 share the name Kells?
Want to know how many Americans are named Kells? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.