Keeley, Keely

[hazeleyes94]

Thoughts on Keeley or Keely?

Which spelling looks correct to you?

Is it boring or dated? DH and I seem to always go for names many people consider dated.

Is it better than Kayleigh?

Keeley Hawes, born Claire. Ordinary background, council estate, dad a cabbie. It’s all about perception.

I was born in the 80s, and among girls around my age, I knew at least three Keeleys, two Kellys, a Kylie and a couple of Kayleighs (all with various spellings). It's a cluster of names that really scream that era/age group to me, along with the slightly more conventional Sarahs, Rebeccas, Amys, Rachaels/Rachels, Emmas and Gemmas (those last two usually with the middle name Louise). But… so what? Most names have peaks and troughs of popularity. If I meet a thirty year old Christine or Julie I might for a moment be surprised that she's younger than I expected, but that's all.

Keeley - but I don’t like it at all. I also don’t like Kayleigh. Sorry. And sorry to say I do find them really quite common sounding rather than dated. The kind of name you’d hear screeched by a mother in a supermarket 🤷🏼‍♀️

Never. Never.

I'm not particularly keen on the name, but I would spell it Keeley if you are using it.

I think the name is OK for the actress, but it wasn't her original name.
The fact that the actress is beautiful probably makes the name seem nicer than it is.
I never saw the appeal of the name Darcey, again not her original name, but she is beautiful.

I think Kayleigh is a 1980s song-inspired name. It's a nice sound but seems dated, and I'm not keen on the -leigh ending.

Dated and a bit down-market. You did ask....

What does down market even mean?

I think they're meaning it sounds 'low class' which is telling...

I like Keeley.

It feels a tiny bit dated because Kelly, Kayleigh, Kelsey and similar names were popular in the past.

Surely you know what downmarket means?

It feels a tiny bit dated because Kelly, Kayleigh, Kelsey and similar names were popular in the past

I met a baby Gemma the other day. Perhaps 80s names are getting popular and the OP is ahead of the curve?

You mean a lower class to you?

My class is irrelevant.

Keeley is the English version of and Irish name and means beautiful or graceful. I love it.

@PartyHelp , what is the Irish name?

Lovely Keeley Hawes was born Claire, Julia, Julia is nice, Claire albeit rather ordinary still sounds better to my ears than Keeley. That name sounds very made up possibly apropos of someone, somewhere mislaying their key whilst out with Lee in a "where did I put my key Lee?" moment.

I like Keeley. Ive known two both clever and gorgeous girls.. One is right now studying at an Oxbridge uni.

It reminds me of being a teenager in the early 90s. The girls who were called Keeley always had bad perms and wore a lot of gold.

I really don't like the sound Keely or Keeley!

That's what I think of when I hear that name! My family used that term a lot.

It is an anglicized diminutive of the Irish name Ó Caollaidhe which means "beautiful" or "graceful." It was originally a surname but used as a first name.

I've only ever seen it spelt Keeley and I think I've only ever known one - she was a couple of years younger than me so would now be in her early 50s. I don't think it was ever quite common enough to be associated with a particular age group like maybe Kayleigh is. But to be honest my favourite name with that sort of feel is Kerry.

Thanks, @PartyHelp . I wouldn't have guessed at the spelling.

Also really like Kayleigh. It's soft and pretty and means dance in Irish.

No it doesn't. Neither does Céilí actually.

I really like Keeley, and Kelly, but I know some people are quite snobbish about the names.