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GirlOld English origin1 syllable

Kelse

Meaning: “ship”

About the name Kelse

Kelse is a girl name with Old English roots, meaning “ship”. It is related to Kelsey, which is where the meaning comes from.

It has a unique, short & sweet feel. Fewer than 5 US babies of either sex received it in 2025, so it's very rare right now. Its peak year since 1940 was 1993. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Kelse were girls.

Etymology

A variant of Kelsey, which comes from Old English, meaning “ship”.

Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Kelse”, “Kelsey”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.

US rank 2025
Not ranked
In 2015
Not ranked
Babies in 2025
Under 5

Popularity of Kelse, 1940–2025

048111519401960198020002020
GirlsBabies per year in the US

Latest SSA data: 2025.

Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).

Nicknames for Kelse

Kelse is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.

Names similar to Kelse

Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.