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I like it, but I don't love it. I used to, but I prefer other "usually female" names on boys these days.

It's pleasant-sounding. I like it because it makes me think of Kelly green.

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A lot of people think of it exclusively as a girls' name, though. Like Ashley.

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I knew a guy named Ashley in middle/high school, and people teased him because of his name.

This message was edited 11/5/2015, 8:29 PM

My only thought or question would be "why not"?

Kelly is so much better on a boy. I know a man named Kelly, and he's just wonderful. It suits him too. But where I live, Kelly wouldn't be used on a boy in a million years, which is a shame.

Brothers could be Wade and Troy.

I like it alright. It's kinda dandy-tough but not theatrical. Like Jamie or Doyle or Cary. I prefer Kelsey and Leslie on guys, maybe because Kelly makes me think of cheerleaders at my high school and I think of curly hair (Kelly sounds like curly).

Love, love Kelly on a boy. It's so handsome. :0)

I like it. I also like Kiley on a boy.

I was thisclose to being named Kelly. It's just okay to me. It's cute but is definitely dated to me. I view it as female. In fact, I always felt sorry for the males named Kelly because even as a child, I had a sense that once a name went female (Kelly, Tracy, Ashley), it just didn't go back easily. Perhaps if more parents used it for their ds, the tide would turn.

I really dislike it for a girl, but for a boy it's not bad at all. I would think people might assume it's a girl, so I would choose an obviously masculine middle name.

My mom and all her sisters have "masculine" names- there's Crey, Robyn (mom), Leslie and Kelly. I also went to school with a few females who gave it a "cheerleader" type vibe.

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I have known one male Kelly who is the hippy type. I like it much better on boys. It's sort of dated on both genders but I feel like the cycle is further along for boys. I'd expect a male Kelly to have siblings named Jason, Scott, Angela, or Denise.

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It's got a sort of surfer vibe to me- I guess from Kelly Slater

I personally wouldn't use Kelly (it feels kind of dated to me), but on a boy it does have a certain "hipster" charm to it. (I'd expect his sister to be Hazel.)

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I don't know how many people on the BtN boards watch "Grimm," but the baby boy born this past season premier was named Kelly. In this case he was named after another *female* character, but I still think it fits well.

I know two. They are older men, but I liked the name on them both times.

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I think the K gives it the oomph I expect in masculine names, so it works for me.

I've got an uncle Kelly. In his case it's short for Kelvin. I like it too. It's jovial and sporty and rakish.

This message was edited 11/4/2015, 8:21 AM

I've got a female cousin

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Called this but I love Kelly on a boy