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Keeley

Girl name · 125 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Keeley: 125 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 20 births in 2008.

Keeley is an Anglicised form of the Irish surname Ó Cadhla, meaning “descendant of Cadhla” – an old Gaelic personal name thought to signify “beautiful” or “graceful,” giving the name a gentle, elegant quality. It shares an etymological root with the Irish word caol, meaning “slender,” though this connection is less direct. The name gained familiar recognition through English actress Keeley Hawes, star of *Line of Duty* and *Bodyguard*, and singer Keely Smith, whose 1950s hits like “That Old Black Magic” are still celebrated. While it has no specific place-name ties, the spelling variant Keely appears occasionally as a surname-derived place in Ireland. Keeley emerged as a popular given name in Scotland from the 1990s, its soft,