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ETYMOLOGY, ORIGIN & HISTORY: The name Kellie (first known as Kelly and pronounced KEL-lee) is of Irish decent and is the 2nd most common family's last name in Ireland (after Murphy). The name is an old Irish Gaelic name, Ceallach, a name which was sometimes given to early Christians as it is based on the word ceall, which means "monastery or church." It then became a surname, O'Ceallaigh, which simply meant a descendant of a man called Ceallach. It became a first name for males before becoming a common name for females and has only been used as a first name in the latter half of the first century. The Irish meaning of Kellie is war, lively, aggressive, Warrior of the King, warrior woman, brave solider and Defender.

NAME VARIANTS: There are numerous variants of the name Kellie for both men and women, including Keli, Kelly, Kelley Kellee, Kelle, Kellianne, Kelleen, Kellen, Kelleigh, Kellena, Kellye, Kelly, Kellyn, Kylie, Kylee, Kyle. The most common spelling remains to be Kelly and today, the name Kelly is more popular for a female than a male.

POPULARITY: The name Kellie was especially popular in the early 1970's and though it has declined throughout the years since, it still remains a popular name, approximately in the top 200 names. As a last name, Kelly is in the top 100 names for the United States.

NAMESAKES and FAMOUS PERSONS: There are not any notable places with the spelling of "Kellie" but with the spelling of "Kelly" there is Kelly Basin inTasmania, Australia; cities of Kelly in Kentucky, North Carolina and Wisconsin and a Kelly Township in Pennsylvania. Famous people with the spelling of Kellie are Kellie Coffey who was an American singer; Kellie Hoggart, a member of band Hi-5; Kellie Martin an American actress born in 1975; Kellie Pickler who was American Idol Season 5 Finalist; Kellie Rasberry, a well-known radio DJ; Kellie Suttle an American pole vaulter who was a two-time Olympian (2000 and 2004) she won the silver medal at the 1999 Pan American Gamesin Winnipeg, and Kellie Shanygne Williams, an actress best known for her role as Laura Winslow on the television series Family Matters.

Though the name Kellie may not be as popular today, it is a name that has held it's place in history and for a common strong name for both men and women (or boys or girls) with a rich heritage of meaning.

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