Given name & surname
Kella
“a lively and bright-headed woman”
Kella is a variant of Kelly. One Irish interpretation is “a lively and bright-headed woman.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Kella is a variant of Kelly. One Irish interpretation is “a lively and bright-headed woman.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Kella is a variant of Kelly. Kelly has been associated with Irish Gaelic and Irish naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1955. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Kella through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 458
- 0 boys · 458 girls
- Most popular year
- 2013
- 23 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −42%
- Cooling
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 11 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 23 in 2013. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 506 as a first name in 2020; 157 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Kella’s family of names
Kella has a related form in Kelly. In Greek usage, Kella as a surname is a transliteration of Κέλλα.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Kella, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Kendall
“from the royal valley”
15% boys · 85% girls
Ella
“from a foreign land”
>99% girls
Leila
“night”
>99% girls
Bella
“a woman famed for her beauty”
>99% girls
Kamila
“a ceremonial attendant; a noble virgin”
>99% girls
Callie
“crowned with laurel” · “one who is slender”
>99% girls
Briella
Briella is a feminine given name from Hebrew.
>99% girls
Lila
“born at night” · “resembling a lily”
>99% girls