Shelby
#649 for girls in 2025, 444 births · #2,991 for boys in 2025, 41 births
Given to girls 90.0% of the time
- 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
Rank within each sex, plotted together. Click any year to open it.
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 | |
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 1979
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Washington#224 · 1 in 1,206
- Oregon#267 · 1 in 1,399
- Nebraska#272 · 1 in 1,717
- Minnesota#301 · 1 in 2,315
- Virginia#311 · 1 in 1,946
Best ever in a state: #5 in Montana, 1991.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | #224 | 21 | 1 in 1,206 |
| Oregon | #267 | 12 | 1 in 1,399 |
| Nebraska | #272 | 6 | 1 in 1,717 |
| Minnesota | #301 | 12 | 1 in 2,315 |
| Virginia | #311 | 15 | 1 in 1,946 |
| Tennessee | #316 | 14 | 1 in 2,035 |
| Pennsylvania | #317 | 31 | 1 in 2,207 |
| Iowa | #336 | 8 | 1 in 2,462 |
| Kansas | #367 | 6 | 1 in 2,396 |
| Georgia | #383 | 14 | 1 in 2,401 |
| Arkansas | #392 | 5 | 1 in 2,591 |
| Utah | #393 | 6 | 1 in 2,679 |
| Wisconsin | #412 | 8 | 1 in 3,824 |
| Colorado | #415 | 7 | 1 in 2,665 |
| North Carolina | #431 | 10 | 1 in 3,286 |
| Oklahoma | #449 | 6 | 1 in 3,085 |
| Texas | #457 | 37 | 1 in 3,003 |
| Kentucky | #463 | 6 | 1 in 4,081 |
| Indiana | #471 | 9 | 1 in 4,026 |
| Florida | #473 | 15 | 1 in 3,125 |
| Michigan | #476 | 15 | 1 in 3,972 |
| Missouri | #479 | 8 | 1 in 4,036 |
| Ohio | #517 | 15 | 1 in 4,806 |
| Alabama | #526 | 6 | 1 in 3,819 |
| California | #531 | 44 | 1 in 3,712 |
| Arizona | #541 | 5 | 1 in 3,572 |
| New Jersey | #587 | 8 | 1 in 4,649 |
| Illinois | #769 | 11 | 1 in 6,790 |
| Louisiana | #795 | 5 | 1 in 5,851 |
| New York | #808 | 14 | 1 in 7,066 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Maryland | — | — | — |
| Massachusetts | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Carolina | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| 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
- 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)
- Debuted 1913
- Peaked 1991 at #33 (10,220 births)
- Births halved by 1999, 8 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 14 yrs · run 1990–2003
- Top 1,000: 91 yrs · run 1935–2025
- Highest: 1 in 183 girls born in 1991 were named Shelby (0.55%)
- Latest: 1 in 3,620 girls born in 2025 (0.03%)
- 48.4% of all girls named Shelby (71,995) were born in this decade
- 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.
Shelby in 1979
Top girls' names in 1979
Top boys' names in 1979
More about 1979
girls
1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 3,751 of them was named Shelby, which outranked 96.1% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #466Jeanne432
- #467Laurel431
- #468Marcy429
- #469Shelby428
- #469Blanca428
- #469Catrina428
- #469Chastity428
- #475Lacy427
- #475Susana427
- #477Jeannie426
Tied with 5 names at #469; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,721,536 boys got a published name in 1979; 1 in 11,955 of them was named Shelby, which outranked 89.8% of the 7,071 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).