Places Names, Surnames Names, American Names, English Names

English speaking countries

The surname Kelsey originated as a place name in Lincolnshire, England. It comes from the Old English name Cenel (which itself came from a word which meant 'fierce' or 'brave') plus the Old English noun 'eg' (meaning 'island' or 'low-lying land'). As a first name it is often associated with the male actor Kesley Grammer, but Kelsey has also been used regularly as a girl's name in the US since the 1970s. In 2006 the name remained in the US top 1000 for both genders.