Updated June 9, 2019 Share: Girl name origins & meanings Gaelic : Beautiful and graceful Girl name variations Keely Keeley Kealy Keel Keelan Family name origins & meanings English : occupational name for a boatman or boatbuilder, from an agent derivative of Middle English kele ‘ship’, ‘barge’ (from Middle Dutch kiel).Americanized spelling of German Kühler, from a variant of an old personal name (see Keeling) or a variant of Kuhl.