Shelby
- #649 for girls in 2025, 444 births
- #2,991 for boys in 2025, 41 births
- Given to girls 90.0% of the time
Showing
- Peak · girls
- 1991 · 10,220 births
- Debut · girls
- 5 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 14 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 148,830since 1913
Shelby over time
girlsboys
Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #649 | 444 | #2,991 | 41 |
| 2024 | #657 | 446 | #2,595 | 51 |
| 2023 | #656 | 448 | #2,660 | 49 |
| 2022 | #595 | 503 | #3,003 | 41 |
| 2021 | #549 | 556 | #3,297 | 35 |
| 2020 | #501 | 606 | #2,586 | 49 |
| 2019 | #495 | 634 | #3,716 | 29 |
| 2018 | #424 | 738 | #3,708 | 29 |
| 2017 | #373 | 836 | #3,312 | 34 |
| 2016 | #337 | 986 | #2,993 | 39 |
| 2015 | #299 | 1,080 | #3,431 | 32 |
| 2014 | #294 | 1,114 | #3,154 | 35 |
| 2013 | #259 | 1,239 | #2,562 | 47 |
| 2012 | #220 | 1,447 | #2,632 | 46 |
| 2011 | #217 | 1,462 | #2,699 | 44 |
| 2010 | #184 | 1,680 | #2,632 | 46 |
| 2009 | #167 | 1,935 | #2,702 | 45 |
| 2008 | #158 | 2,148 | #1,899 | 76 |
| 2007 | #149 | 2,351 | #1,928 | 73 |
| 2006 | #133 | 2,620 | #1,893 | 71 |
| 2005 | #117 | 2,839 | #1,869 | 68 |
| 2004 | #112 | 2,988 | #1,530 | 87 |
| 2003 | #94 | 3,537 | #1,630 | 77 |
| 2002 | #75 | 3,961 | #1,258 | 108 |
| 2001 | #68 | 4,370 | #1,298 | 101 |
| 2000 | #70 | 4,561 | #1,087 | 129 |
| 1999 | #62 | 5,018 | #884 | 171 |
| 1998 | #49 | 5,893 | #878 | 165 |
| 1997 | #43 | 6,701 | #751 | 199 |
| 1996 | #35 | 7,950 | #589 | 305 |
| 1995 | #38 | 7,632 | #555 | 335 |
| 1994 | #40 | 7,546 | #536 | 362 |
| 1993 | #37 | 8,122 | #512 | 403 |
| 1992 | #34 | 9,396 | #473 | 453 |
| 1991 | #33 | 10,220 | #427 | 524 |
| 1990 | #100 | 3,517 | #525 | 354 |
| 1989 | #229 | 1,203 | #692 | 205 |
| 1988 | #284 | 881 | #691 | 184 |
| 1987 | #273 | 899 | #685 | 176 |
| 1986 | #276 | 900 | #691 | 172 |
| 1985 | #281 | 885 | #661 | 177 |
| 1984 | #242 | 1,042 | #715 | 148 |
| 1983 | #351 | 642 | #682 | 157 |
| 1982 | #479 | 435 | #788 | 125 |
| 1981 | #424 | 512 | #750 | 135 |
| 1980 | #443 | 482 | #758 | 134 |
| 1979 | #469 | 428 | #722 | 144 |
| 1978 | #418 | 483 | #647 | 168 |
| 1977 | #382 | 553 | #614 | 187 |
| 1976 | #365 | 575 | #617 | 176 |
| 1975 | #308 | 746 | #576 | 195 |
| 1974 | #300 | 798 | #587 | 184 |
| 1973 | #328 | 678 | #605 | 171 |
| 1972 | #318 | 754 | #605 | 173 |
| 1971 | #393 | 555 | #607 | 188 |
| 1970 | #499 | 400 | #647 | 159 |
| 1969 | #547 | 326 | #592 | 173 |
| 1968 | #537 | 319 | #634 | 143 |
| 1967 | #549 | 293 | #655 | 129 |
| 1966 | #540 | 304 | #599 | 156 |
| 1965 | #576 | 274 | #696 | 114 |
| 1964 | #556 | 317 | #713 | 117 |
| 1963 | #505 | 371 | #671 | 136 |
| 1962 | #502 | 370 | #709 | 117 |
| 1961 | #494 | 386 | #676 | 131 |
| 1960 | #559 | 307 | #619 | 159 |
| 1959 | #516 | 357 | #667 | 131 |
| 1958 | #489 | 382 | #670 | 128 |
| 1957 | #493 | 367 | #675 | 128 |
| 1956 | #506 | 345 | #659 | 132 |
| 1955 | #490 | 344 | #599 | 151 |
| 1954 | #504 | 310 | #599 | 153 |
| 1953 | #531 | 262 | #644 | 122 |
| 1952 | #574 | 228 | #617 | 132 |
| 1951 | #557 | 232 | #532 | 162 |
| 1950 | #517 | 248 | #565 | 143 |
| 1949 | #532 | 241 | #553 | 147 |
| 1948 | #500 | 266 | #523 | 160 |
| 1947 | #425 | 369 | #558 | 146 |
| 1946 | #383 | 397 | #492 | 171 |
| 1945 | #387 | 333 | #488 | 153 |
| 1944 | #364 | 367 | #476 | 161 |
| 1943 | #314 | 491 | #448 | 200 |
| 1942 | #279 | 599 | #484 | 160 |
| 1941 | #213 | 826 | #455 | 168 |
| 1940 | #187 | 1,006 | #436 | 176 |
| 1939 | #170 | 1,164 | #393 | 207 |
| 1938 | #142 | 1,714 | #385 | 214 |
| 1937 | #119 | 1,997 | #385 | 203 |
| 1936 | #178 | 1,071 | #458 | 151 |
| 1935 | #840 | 67 | #525 | 121 |
| 1934 | #1,913 | 17 | #496 | 133 |
| 1933 | #1,835 | 18 | #530 | 115 |
| 1932 | #1,877 | 18 | #576 | 106 |
| 1931 | #2,581 | 11 | #562 | 109 |
| 1930 | — | #569 | 111 | |
| 1929 | #2,921 | 10 | #564 | 110 |
| 1928 | #1,961 | 19 | #621 | 97 |
| 1927 | #2,859 | 11 | #553 | 124 |
| 1926 | — | #562 | 120 | |
| 1925 | #3,362 | 9 | #543 | 128 |
| 1924 | #4,002 | 7 | #608 | 110 |
| 1923 | #3,971 | 7 | #550 | 126 |
| 1922 | #3,152 | 10 | #559 | 128 |
| 1921 | #2,762 | 12 | #534 | 136 |
| 1920 | #3,097 | 10 | #499 | 146 |
| 1919 | #3,817 | 7 | #501 | 141 |
| 1918 | #4,809 | 5 | #572 | 113 |
| 1917 | #3,092 | 9 | #532 | 119 |
| 1916 | #2,833 | 10 | #574 | 100 |
| 1915 | #4,274 | 5 | #605 | 90 |
| 1914 | #3,618 | 5 | #536 | 84 |
| 1913 | #3,187 | 5 | #759 | 38 |
| 1912 | — | #584 | 48 | |
| 1911 | — | #548 | 30 | |
| 1910 | — | #524 | 29 | |
| 1909 | — | #505 | 26 | |
| 1908 | — | #429 | 31 | |
| 1907 | — | #699 | 14 | |
| 1906 | — | #400 | 29 | |
| 1905 | — | #549 | 18 | |
| 1904 | — | #686 | 12 | |
| 1903 | — | #505 | 18 | |
| 1902 | — | #687 | 11 | |
| 1901 | — | #536 | 14 | |
| 1900 | — | #534 | 20 | |
| 1899 | — | #457 | 17 | |
| 1898 | — | #418 | 22 | |
| 1897 | — | #556 | 14 | |
| 1896 | — | #551 | 14 | |
| 1895 | — | #501 | 16 | |
| 1894 | — | #543 | 14 | |
| 1893 | — | #615 | 11 | |
| 1892 | — | #445 | 19 | |
| 1891 | — | #841 | 6 | |
| 1890 | — | #603 | 11 | |
| 1889 | — | #581 | 11 | |
| 1888 | — | #505 | 15 | |
| 1887 | — | #461 | 14 | |
| 1886 | — | #647 | 9 | |
| 1885 | — | #604 | 10 | |
| 1884 | — | #468 | 16 | |
| 1883 | — | #677 | 8 | |
| 1882 | — | #514 | 13 | |
| 1881 | — | #533 | 11 | |
| 1880 | — | #682 | 8 | |
First appearance
1913
The first year at least five girls were named Shelby! It came in at #3,187, and was given to 5 baby girls.
Quietest stretch: 1926, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.
Where Shelby is popular in 2025
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- West Virginia#154 · 1 in 507
- Tennessee#282 · 1 in 1,188
- Alabama#318 · 1 in 1,221
- Kentucky#364 · 1 in 1,438
- North Carolina#381 · 1 in 1,660
Best ever in a state: #5 in Montana, 1991.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | #154 | 10 | 1 in 507 |
| Tennessee | #282 | 27 | 1 in 1,188 |
| Alabama | #318 | 15 | 1 in 1,221 |
| Kentucky | #364 | 12 | 1 in 1,438 |
| North Carolina | #381 | 28 | 1 in 1,660 |
| Utah | #385 | 11 | 1 in 1,552 |
| Arkansas | #425 | 7 | 1 in 1,513 |
| Pennsylvania | #443 | 24 | 1 in 1,945 |
| Virginia | #484 | 16 | 1 in 2,109 |
| Kansas | #497 | 6 | 1 in 1,968 |
| Oklahoma | #546 | 7 | 1 in 2,111 |
| South Carolina | #560 | 8 | 1 in 2,286 |
| Wisconsin | #564 | 8 | 1 in 2,532 |
| Arizona | #578 | 11 | 1 in 2,565 |
| Georgia | #611 | 17 | 1 in 2,659 |
| Washington | #617 | 10 | 1 in 2,886 |
| Texas | #624 | 50 | 1 in 3,211 |
| Michigan | #638 | 12 | 1 in 2,978 |
| Minnesota | #659 | 7 | 1 in 3,068 |
| Massachusetts | #682 | 7 | 1 in 3,433 |
| Indiana | #721 | 8 | 1 in 3,489 |
| Florida | #735 | 22 | 1 in 3,944 |
| California | #830 | 35 | 1 in 4,621 |
| New Jersey | #846 | 8 | 1 in 4,438 |
| New York | #947 | 16 | 1 in 4,896 |
| Illinois | #1,014 | 8 | 1 in 5,541 |
| Ohio | #1,035 | 8 | 1 in 5,909 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Colorado | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Louisiana | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Missouri | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Shelby
Momentum · girls
Falling
- 8 spots since 2024 (#657 → #649)
- 148 spots since 2020 (#501 → #649)
- Biggest jump: 1,073 spots in 1935
- Biggest drop: 75 spots in 1948
Rise & fade · girls
78 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1913
- Peaked 1991 at #33 (10,220 births)
- Births halved by 1999, 8 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 14 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 14 yrs · run 1990–2003
- Top 1,000: 91 yrs · run 1935–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 183
- Highest: 1 in 183 girls born in 1991 were named Shelby (0.55%)
- Latest: 1 in 3,620 girls born in 2025 (0.03%)
Era · girls
The 1990s
- 48.4% of all girls named Shelby (71,995) were born in this decade
Girls or boys?
Flipped in 1936
- Mostly boys until 1935, mostly girls since
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 46 | #2,833 (1916) | #3,661 |
| 1920s | 95 | #1,961 (1928) | #3,121 |
| 1930s | 6,077 | #119 (1937) | #1,073 |
| 1940s | 4,895 | #187 (1940) | #358 |
| 1950s | 3,075 | #489 (1958) | #518 |
| 1960s | 3,267 | #494 (1961) | #537 |
| 1970s | 5,970 | #300 (1974) | #378 |
| 1980s | 7,881 | #229 (1989) | #328 |
| 1990s | 71,995 | #33 (1991) | #47 |
| 2000s | 31,310 | #68 (2001) | #114 |
| 2010s | 11,216 | #184 (2010) | #310 |
| 2020s | 3,003 | #501 (2020) | #601 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Want to check a specific year?
See where Shelby ranked and which names it was up against. Click a point on the chart, or pick a year: