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
Show data for
Peak · girls
1991 · 10,220 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
14 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
148,830
since 1913

Shelby over time

girlsboys

Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201971peak #33, 1991peak #385, 1938girlsboys
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
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#649444#2,99141
2024#657446#2,59551
2023#656448#2,66049
2022#595503#3,00341
2021#549556#3,29735
2020#501606#2,58649
2019#495634#3,71629
2018#424738#3,70829
2017#373836#3,31234
2016#337986#2,99339
2015#2991,080#3,43132
2014#2941,114#3,15435
2013#2591,239#2,56247
2012#2201,447#2,63246
2011#2171,462#2,69944
2010#1841,680#2,63246
2009#1671,935#2,70245
2008#1582,148#1,89976
2007#1492,351#1,92873
2006#1332,620#1,89371
2005#1172,839#1,86968
2004#1122,988#1,53087
2003#943,537#1,63077
2002#753,961#1,258108
2001#684,370#1,298101
2000#704,561#1,087129
1999#625,018#884171
1998#495,893#878165
1997#436,701#751199
1996#357,950#589305
1995#387,632#555335
1994#407,546#536362
1993#378,122#512403
1992#349,396#473453
1991#3310,220#427524
1990#1003,517#525354
1989#2291,203#692205
1988#284881#691184
1987#273899#685176
1986#276900#691172
1985#281885#661177
1984#2421,042#715148
1983#351642#682157
1982#479435#788125
1981#424512#750135
1980#443482#758134
1979#469428#722144
1978#418483#647168
1977#382553#614187
1976#365575#617176
1975#308746#576195
1974#300798#587184
1973#328678#605171
1972#318754#605173
1971#393555#607188
1970#499400#647159
1969#547326#592173
1968#537319#634143
1967#549293#655129
1966#540304#599156
1965#576274#696114
1964#556317#713117
1963#505371#671136
1962#502370#709117
1961#494386#676131
1960#559307#619159
1959#516357#667131
1958#489382#670128
1957#493367#675128
1956#506345#659132
1955#490344#599151
1954#504310#599153
1953#531262#644122
1952#574228#617132
1951#557232#532162
1950#517248#565143
1949#532241#553147
1948#500266#523160
1947#425369#558146
1946#383397#492171
1945#387333#488153
1944#364367#476161
1943#314491#448200
1942#279599#484160
1941#213826#455168
1940#1871,006#436176
1939#1701,164#393207
1938#1421,714#385214
1937#1191,997#385203
1936#1781,071#458151
1935#84067#525121
1934#1,91317#496133
1933#1,83518#530115
1932#1,87718#576106
1931#2,58111#562109
1930—#569111
1929#2,92110#564110
1928#1,96119#62197
1927#2,85911#553124
1926—#562120
1925#3,3629#543128
1924#4,0027#608110
1923#3,9717#550126
1922#3,15210#559128
1921#2,76212#534136
1920#3,09710#499146
1919#3,8177#501141
1918#4,8095#572113
1917#3,0929#532119
1916#2,83310#574100
1915#4,2745#60590
1914#3,6185#53684
1913#3,1875#75938
1912—#58448
1911—#54830
1910—#52429
1909—#50526
1908—#42931
1907—#69914
1906—#40029
1905—#54918
1904—#68612
1903—#50518
1902—#68711
1901—#53614
1900—#53420
1899—#45717
1898—#41822
1897—#55614
1896—#55114
1895—#50116
1894—#54314
1893—#61511
1892—#44519
1891—#8416
1890—#60311
1889—#58111
1888—#50515
1887—#46114
1886—#6479
1885—#60410
1884—#46816
1883—#6778
1882—#51413
1881—#53311
1880—#6828
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 1971

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedAKMaine: #176 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 789 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: #198 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 982 girlsNHWashington: #296 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,719 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #328 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,707 girlsMNIllinois: #552 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 4,863 girlsILWisconsin: #290 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 2,061 girlsWIMichigan: #494 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 4,600 girlsMINew York: #654 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 6,261 girlsNYMassachusetts: #370 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 3,013 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedRIOregon: #338 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,907 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedSDIowa: #380 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 3,214 girlsIAIndiana: #299 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,958 girlsINOhio: #389 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 3,486 girlsOHPennsylvania: #288 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 1,786 girlsPANew Jersey: #623 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 6,635 girlsNJConnecticut: #452 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,692 girlsCTCalifornia: #432 for girls · 55 births · 1 in 2,698 girlsCAUtah: #377 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,158 girlsUTColorado: #415 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,747 girlsCONebraska: #292 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,766 girlsNEMissouri: #581 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,698 girlsMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: #183 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 869 girlsWVVirginia: #254 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,437 girlsVAMaryland: #403 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,931 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedDEArizona: #437 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,515 girlsAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Shelby, so not publishedNMKansas: #357 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,255 girlsKSArkansas: #351 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,319 girlsARTennessee: #323 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 2,222 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #293 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 2,013 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #311 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 1,886 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #322 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,759 girlsDCOklahoma: #315 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 1,765 girlsOKLouisiana: #682 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,830 girlsLAMississippi: #524 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,730 girlsMSAlabama: #323 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 2,044 girlsALGeorgia: #289 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,688 girlsGAHawaii: #264 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 945 girlsHITexas: #540 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 3,846 girlsTXFlorida: #331 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 1,910 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Maine#176 · 1 in 789
  2. West Virginia#183 · 1 in 869
  3. New Hampshire#198 · 1 in 982
  4. Virginia#254 · 1 in 1,437
  5. Hawaii#264 · 1 in 945

Best ever in a state: #5 in Montana, 1991.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Maine#17691 in 789
West Virginia#183151 in 869
New Hampshire#19851 in 982
Virginia#254231 in 1,437
Hawaii#26451 in 945
Pennsylvania#288451 in 1,786
Georgia#289231 in 1,688
Wisconsin#290151 in 2,061
Nebraska#29261 in 1,766
North Carolina#293201 in 2,013
Washington#296131 in 1,719
Indiana#299211 in 1,958
South Carolina#311111 in 1,886
Oklahoma#315101 in 1,765
District of Columbia#32251 in 1,759
Alabama#323131 in 2,044
Tennessee#323141 in 2,222
Minnesota#328101 in 2,707
Florida#331251 in 1,910
Oregon#33871 in 1,907
Arkansas#35161 in 2,319
Kansas#35761 in 2,255
Massachusetts#370131 in 3,013
Utah#37751 in 2,158
Iowa#38061 in 3,214
Ohio#389241 in 3,486
Maryland#40381 in 2,931
Colorado#41561 in 2,747
California#432551 in 2,698
Arizona#43761 in 2,515
Connecticut#45251 in 3,692
Michigan#494151 in 4,600
Mississippi#52451 in 3,730
Texas#540271 in 3,846
Illinois#552171 in 4,863
Missouri#58161 in 5,698
New Jersey#62371 in 6,635
New York#654201 in 6,261
Louisiana#68251 in 5,830
Alaska———
Delaware———
Idaho———
Kentucky———
Montana———
Nevada———
New Mexico———
North Dakota———
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)
  • 350 spots since 2015 (#299 → #649)
  • Biggest jump: 1,073 spots in 1935 (#1,913 → #840)
  • Biggest drop: 75 spots in 1948 (#425 → #500)
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
all girlsall boys
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1910s46#2,833 (1916)#3,661
1920s95#1,961 (1928)#3,121
1930s6,077#119 (1937)#1,073
1940s4,895#187 (1940)#358
1950s3,075#489 (1958)#518
1960s3,267#494 (1961)#537
1970s5,970#300 (1974)#378
1980s7,881#229 (1989)#328
1990s71,995#33 (1991)#47
2000s31,310#68 (2001)#114
2010s11,216#184 (2010)#310
2020s3,003#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.

Shelby in 1971

girls
#393
555 births · 1 in 2,998 girls
boys
#607
188 births · 1 in 9,407 boys

Top girls' names in 1971

  1. #1Jennifer56,771
  2. #2Michelle33,160
  3. #3Lisa32,907
  4. #4Kimberly30,708
  5. #5Amy26,237
  6. #6Angela25,901
  7. #7Melissa23,875
  8. #8Tammy17,656
  9. #9Mary16,703
  10. #10Julie15,322
  11. #393Shelby555

Top boys' names in 1971

  1. #1Michael77,577
  2. #2James54,597
  3. #3David53,113
  4. #4John51,512
  5. #5Robert50,634
  6. #6Christopher48,225
  7. #7William35,413
  8. #8Jason34,173
  9. #9Brian32,624
  10. #10Scott30,901
  11. #607Shelby188
More about 1971

girls

1,663,823 girls got a published name in 1971; 1 in 2,998 of them was named Shelby, which outranked 95.9% of the 9,645 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.8% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelby
  1. #390Maribel576
  2. #391Marjorie567
  3. #392Doreen556
  4. #393Shelby555
  5. #393Lorena555
  6. #395Lynne549
  7. #396Pauline548
  8. #397Jeannine544

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1970
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,115Yesenia#2,522 → #407
  2. ↑ 1,431Shayla#2,267 → #836
  3. ↑ 853Ebony#1,681 → #828
  4. ↑ 749Consuela#1,706 → #957
  5. ↑ 510Candida#1,196 → #686
Fallers
  1. ↓ 572Sebrina#916 → #1,488
  2. ↓ 382Janene#684 → #1,066
  3. ↓ 375Treena#989 → #1,364
  4. ↓ 356Tisa#910 → #1,266
  5. ↓ 351Shaun#929 → #1,280

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,768,447 boys got a published name in 1971; 1 in 9,407 of them was named Shelby, which outranked 89.3% of the 5,655 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelby
  1. #604Rico190
  2. #605Cleveland189
  3. #605Homer189
  4. #607Shelby188
  5. #607Santos188
  6. #607Sebastian188
  7. #607Wilfredo188
  8. #611Dorian187
  9. #611Percy187
  10. #611Raphael187

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1970
Risers
  1. ↑ 754Germaine#1,582 → #828
  2. ↑ 626Jeramie#1,546 → #920
  3. ↑ 512Jeremey#1,396 → #884
  4. ↑ 473Jarod#1,337 → #864
  5. ↑ 454Jamel#1,374 → #920
Fallers
  1. ↓ 328Adolph#926 → #1,254
  2. ↓ 272Dwane#1,000 → #1,272
  3. ↓ 266Bronson#861 → #1,127
  4. ↓ 244Mitch#921 → #1,165
  5. ↓ 242Enrico#839 → #1,081

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1971 →