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Keelan

Boy name · 83 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Keelan: 83 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 9 births in 2003.

Traditionally an anglicised form of the Irish *Caolán*, meaning "slender" or "fine," Keelan also shares roots with the Scottish Gaelic *caol*, evoking a sense of grace and slimness. While no household-name celebrities spring to mind, the name has quietly crossed the Irish Sea, appearing in Scottish birth records since the late 20th century. It shares its etymological core with the Scottish town of Caol near Fort William, whose name comes from the same Gaelic word for "narrow." As a variant of Keelin, it sits comfortably in the modern unisex naming trend, though in Scotland it remains more commonly given to boys.