Shelly

#5,722 for girls in 2025, 21 births · Last seen for boys in 2007 at #12,367
Given to girls 97.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1966 · 3,856 births
Debut · girls
5 births
In top 100 · girls
5 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
84,420
since 1916

Shelly over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201951peak #89, 1966girls
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#5,72221—
2024#4,56030—
2023#5,96020—
2022#4,79328—
2021#4,50730—
2020#5,00325—
2019#4,65329—
2018#4,66229—
2017#4,22034—
2016#4,08336—
2015#3,47845—
2014#3,22650—
2013#3,12352—
2012#3,16952—
2011#3,84339—
2010#2,97657—
2009#2,39680—
2008#2,66369—
2007#2,54173#12,3675
2006#2,16589—
2005#1,790109—
2004#1,883100—
2003#1,676114—
2002#1,535123—
2001#1,499125#10,5565
2000#1,301147—
1999#1,206158—
1998#1,129168—
1997#1,130166—
1996#904217#7,1367
1995#819240—
1994#738281#7,7706
1993#697307#6,8167
1992#647348—
1991#538434#7,2716
1990#564413#5,8238
1989#504466#4,01713
1988#429537#5,7517
1987#371629—
1986#325744#5,3327
1985#281885#5,7856
1984#258949#4,2159
1983#2301,073#4,4998
1982#2261,137#3,28213
1981#2121,228#4,1539
1980#1861,451#3,43012
1979#1821,456#2,31021
1978#1751,501#1,87027
1977#1511,848#2,66516
1976#1451,861#1,93225
1975#1132,484#1,78727
1974#1072,797#1,61830
1973#1042,910#1,37637
1972#943,288#1,36438
1971#1033,637#1,56031
1970#1033,751#1,35138
1969#1023,676#1,32636
1968#983,595#1,16542
1967#943,648#1,47627
1966#893,856#1,40130
1965#983,850#1,12944
1964#1014,080#1,11447
1963#1173,790#1,40331
1962#1303,480#1,42330
1961#1452,994#1,26239
1960#1572,692#1,25239
1959#1881,883#1,55926
1958#2211,379#1,32134
1957#2441,210#1,27837
1956#291929#1,33533
1955#306786#1,72520
1954#306759#1,16941
1953#356571#1,33132
1952#355538#1,15241
1951#415407#1,15039
1950#440333#92655
1949#615181#1,18536
1948#863102#1,19436
1947#1,03174#1,27133
1946#99771#1,50922
1945#87374#1,07836
1944#1,07952#1,21230
1943#97566#1,17034
1942#1,03757#1,24431
1941#1,29435#1,25428
1940#1,21836#1,25129
1939#1,16039#1,32325
1938#1,31631#1,31026
1937#1,30331#1,21230
1936#1,74119#1,18231
1935#1,84518#1,29527
1934#1,91317#1,35725
1933#3,7536#1,82915
1932#1,95717#1,46523
1931#2,75010#1,84316
1930#4,0476#1,46325
1929—#1,48024
1928#3,7437#1,16537
1927#2,69912#1,74820
1926#4,8515#1,43226
1925—#1,62822
1924#3,3939#1,28732
1923#3,6418#1,35829
1922#4,4456#1,95217
1921—#2,05916
1920—#1,88518
1919—#1,81118
1918—#1,53923
1917—#1,98615
1916#4,4175#1,69818
1915—#1,87815
1914—#1,60815
1913—#1,49713
1912—#1,7469
1911——
1910——
1909—#1,0838
1908——
1907—#1,3455
1906——
1905—#1,2335
1904—#8748
1903——
1902—#8628
1901—#7798
1900—#9688
1899—#9286
1898—#8857
1897—#7878
1896——
1895—#9786
1894—#8577
1893—#7059
1892——
1891—#8416
1890—#9945
1889—#7228
1888——
1887——
1886—#9595
1885——
1884——
1883——
1882—#7547
1881——
1880——
First appearance
1916

The first year at least five girls were named Shelly! It came in at #4,417, and was given to 5 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1916–1921, when fewer than 6 girls a year got the name.

Where Shelly is popular in 1951

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNHWashington: #219 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,434 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedIDMontana: #174 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 872 girlsMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #314 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,570 girlsMNIllinois: #399 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 5,104 girlsILWisconsin: #276 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 3,277 girlsWIMichigan: #274 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 2,616 girlsMINew York: #329 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 3,185 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedRIOregon: #286 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,250 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedSDIowa: #351 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 4,206 girlsIAIndiana: #423 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 5,666 girlsINOhio: #326 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 3,806 girlsOHPennsylvania: #368 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 4,931 girlsPANew Jersey: #458 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 7,724 girlsNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #325 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 2,812 girlsCAUtah: #219 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 1,154 girlsUTColorado: #323 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,600 girlsCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNEMissouri: #339 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 3,741 girlsMOKentucky: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedWVVirginia: #524 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 7,498 girlsVAMaryland: #297 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,744 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNMKansas: #268 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,170 girlsKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedARTennessee: #506 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 7,584 girlsTNNorth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedDCOklahoma: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedOKLouisiana: #479 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 5,062 girlsLAMississippi: #421 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 4,086 girlsMSAlabama: #427 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 4,568 girlsALGeorgia: #573 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 8,583 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedHITexas: #521 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 4,856 girlsTXFlorida: #474 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 5,141 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Montana#174 · 1 in 872
  2. Utah#219 · 1 in 1,154
  3. Washington#219 · 1 in 1,434
  4. Kansas#268 · 1 in 2,170
  5. Michigan#274 · 1 in 2,616

Best ever in a state: #17 in Oklahoma, 1972.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Montana#17471 in 872
Utah#21981 in 1,154
Washington#219181 in 1,434
Kansas#26891 in 2,170
Michigan#274301 in 2,616
Wisconsin#276121 in 3,277
Oregon#28671 in 2,250
Maryland#29791 in 2,744
Minnesota#314101 in 3,570
Colorado#32361 in 2,600
California#325431 in 2,812
Ohio#326241 in 3,806
New York#329471 in 3,185
Missouri#339111 in 3,741
Iowa#35171 in 4,206
Pennsylvania#368221 in 4,931
Illinois#399181 in 5,104
Mississippi#42171 in 4,086
Indiana#42381 in 5,666
Alabama#42781 in 4,568
New Jersey#45861 in 7,724
Florida#47461 in 5,141
Louisiana#47971 in 5,062
Tennessee#50651 in 7,584
Texas#521211 in 4,856
Virginia#52451 in 7,498
Georgia#57351 in 8,583
Alaska———
Arizona———
Arkansas———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Kentucky———
Maine———
Massachusetts———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Mexico———
North Carolina———
North Dakota———
Oklahoma———
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 Shelly
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 1,162 spots since 2024 (#4,560 → #5,722)
  • 719 spots since 2020 (#5,003 → #5,722)
  • 2,244 spots since 2015 (#3,478 → #5,722)
  • Biggest jump: 248 spots in 1949 (#863 → #615)
  • Biggest drop: 226 spots in 1997 (#904 → #1,130)
Rise & fade · girls
50 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1916
  • Peaked 1966 at #89 (3,856 births)
  • Births halved by 1976, 10 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 5 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 5 yrs · run 1965–1968
  • Top 1,000: 52 yrs · run 1948–1996
Share of babies · girls
1 in 439
  • Highest: 1 in 439 girls born in 1966 were named Shelly (0.23%)
  • Latest: 1 in 76,537 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · girls
The 1960s
  • 42.2% of all girls named Shelly (35,661) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1910s5#4,417 (1916)#4,417
1920s47#2,699 (1927)#3,795
1930s194#1,160 (1939)#2,179
1940s748#615 (1949)#998
1950s8,795#188 (1959)#312
1960s35,661#89 (1966)#113
1970s25,533#94 (1972)#128
1980s9,099#186 (1980)#302
1990s2,732#538 (1991)#837
2000s1,029#1,301 (2000)#1,945
2010s423#2,976 (2010)#3,743
2020s154#4,507 (2021)#5,091

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.

Shelly in 1951

girls
#415
407 births · 1 in 4,425 girls
boys
#1,150
39 births · 1 in 48,278 boys

Top girls' names in 1951

  1. #1Linda73,982
  2. #2Mary65,721
  3. #3Patricia56,446
  4. #4Deborah42,053
  5. #5Barbara40,617
  6. #6Susan40,228
  7. #7Nancy30,346
  8. #8Karen27,998
  9. #9Sandra27,665
  10. #10Kathleen26,716
  11. #415Shelly407

Top boys' names in 1951

  1. #1James87,256
  2. #2Robert86,353
  3. #3John81,569
  4. #4Michael72,807
  5. #5David64,788
  6. #6William62,781
  7. #7Richard54,541
  8. #8Thomas48,275
  9. #9Charles39,406
  10. #10Gary38,160
  11. #1,150Shelly39
More about 1951

girls

1,800,859 girls got a published name in 1951; 1 in 4,425 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 93.3% of the 6,213 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #411Jeanie409
  2. #411Marta409
  3. #414Robyn408
  4. #415Shelly407
  5. #416Sharron406
  6. #417Mamie398
  7. #418Myrtle397
Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 345Rhona#1,333 → #988
  2. ↑ 307Bobbi#1,153 → #846
  3. ↑ 296Ricki#1,090 → #794
  4. ↑ 295Mindy#771 → #476
  5. ↑ 288Sharleen#1,053 → #765
Fallers
  1. ↓ 395Sharman#668 → #1,063
  2. ↓ 343Manuela#773 → #1,116
  3. ↓ 294Allie#945 → #1,239
  4. ↓ 253Merrie#937 → #1,190
  5. ↓ 252Olive#891 → #1,143

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

boys

1,882,837 boys got a published name in 1951; 1 in 48,278 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 73.0% of the 4,253 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #1,139Loy40
  2. #1,139Ocie40
  3. #1,139Russ40
  4. #1,150Shelly39
  5. #1,150Adan39
  6. #1,150Addison39
  7. #1,150Allison39
  8. #1,171Caesar38
  9. #1,171Clarance38
  10. #1,171Clovis38

Tied with 20 names at #1,150; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1950
Risers
  1. ↑ 428Kimberly#1,139 → #711
  2. ↑ 372Cole#1,364 → #992
  3. ↑ 357Wayland#1,272 → #915
  4. ↑ 354Ricki#1,139 → #785
  5. ↑ 346Lou#1,289 → #943
Fallers
  1. ↓ 944Jory#960 → #1,904
  2. ↓ 502Samual#960 → #1,462
  3. ↓ 426Carlyle#918 → #1,344
  4. ↓ 319Shaun#899 → #1,218
  5. ↓ 318Tex#977 → #1,295

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

See the top 100 for 1951 →