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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201958peak #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 1958

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedAKMaine: #241 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,601 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNHWashington: #119 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 499 girlsWAIdaho: #133 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 484 girlsIDMontana: #98 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 365 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #86 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 331 girlsNDMinnesota: #115 for girls · 75 births · 1 in 504 girlsMNIllinois: #252 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 1,864 girlsILWisconsin: #171 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 1,057 girlsWIMichigan: #166 for girls · 102 births · 1 in 902 girlsMINew York: #291 for girls · 79 births · 1 in 2,147 girlsNYMassachusetts: #423 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 6,699 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedRIOregon: #163 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 760 girlsORNevada: #99 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 311 girlsNVWyoming: #110 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 390 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #140 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 542 girlsSDIowa: #134 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 598 girlsIAIndiana: #186 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 1,096 girlsINOhio: #196 for girls · 90 births · 1 in 1,187 girlsOHPennsylvania: #256 for girls · 63 births · 1 in 1,840 girlsPANew Jersey: #371 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 3,831 girlsNJConnecticut: #376 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 4,044 girlsCTCalifornia: #200 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 1,019 girlsCAUtah: #62 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 224 girlsUTColorado: #172 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 742 girlsCONebraska: #108 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 447 girlsNEMissouri: #206 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 1,349 girlsMOKentucky: #443 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 4,701 girlsKYWest Virginia: #411 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,866 girlsWVVirginia: #436 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 4,538 girlsVAMaryland: #253 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,876 girlsMDDelaware: #159 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 764 girlsDEArizona: #205 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 878 girlsAZNew Mexico: #343 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,918 girlsNMKansas: #133 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 585 girlsKSArkansas: #318 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,240 girlsARTennessee: #516 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 6,107 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #515 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 6,152 girlsNCSouth Carolina: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedSCDistrict of Columbia: #302 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 2,253 girlsDCOklahoma: #205 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,184 girlsOKLouisiana: #299 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,787 girlsLAMississippi: #297 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,808 girlsMSAlabama: #479 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 4,498 girlsALGeorgia: #513 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 5,640 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedHITexas: #287 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 1,754 girlsTXFlorida: #323 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,260 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Utah#62 · 1 in 224
  2. North Dakota#86 · 1 in 331
  3. Montana#98 · 1 in 365
  4. Nevada#99 · 1 in 311
  5. Nebraska#108 · 1 in 447

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Utah#62461 in 224
North Dakota#86201 in 331
Montana#98181 in 365
Nevada#9971 in 311
Nebraska#108311 in 447
Wyoming#11071 in 390
Minnesota#115751 in 504
Washington#119571 in 499
Idaho#133131 in 484
Kansas#133361 in 585
Iowa#134461 in 598
South Dakota#140131 in 542
Delaware#15961 in 764
Oregon#163201 in 760
Michigan#1661021 in 902
Wisconsin#171411 in 1,057
Colorado#172251 in 742
Indiana#186461 in 1,096
Ohio#196901 in 1,187
California#2001601 in 1,019
Arizona#205161 in 878
Oklahoma#205181 in 1,184
Missouri#206331 in 1,349
Maine#24161 in 1,601
Illinois#252571 in 1,864
Maryland#253161 in 1,876
Pennsylvania#256631 in 1,840
Texas#287641 in 1,754
New York#291791 in 2,147
Mississippi#297141 in 1,808
Louisiana#299221 in 1,787
District of Columbia#30261 in 2,253
Arkansas#31881 in 2,240
Florida#323211 in 2,260
New Mexico#34361 in 1,918
New Jersey#371151 in 3,831
Connecticut#37661 in 4,044
West Virginia#41151 in 3,866
Massachusetts#42381 in 6,699
Virginia#43691 in 4,538
Kentucky#44371 in 4,701
Alabama#47981 in 4,498
Georgia#51381 in 5,640
North Carolina#51581 in 6,152
Tennessee#51661 in 6,107
Alaska———
Hawaii———
New Hampshire———
Rhode Island———
South Carolina———
Vermont———

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 1958

girls
#221
1,379 births · 1 in 1,459 girls
boys
#1,321
34 births · 1 in 62,424 boys

Top girls' names in 1958

  1. #1Mary55,848
  2. #2Susan45,175
  3. #3Linda41,904
  4. #4Karen38,487
  5. #5Patricia37,961
  6. #6Debra35,521
  7. #7Deborah32,943
  8. #8Cynthia31,014
  9. #9Barbara27,874
  10. #10Donna26,959
  11. #221Shelly1,379

Top boys' names in 1958

  1. #1Michael90,604
  2. #2David82,681
  3. #3James78,774
  4. #4Robert77,338
  5. #5John76,057
  6. #6William54,254
  7. #7Mark52,698
  8. #8Richard50,007
  9. #9Thomas42,088
  10. #10Steven32,968
  11. #1,321Shelly34
More about 1958

girls

2,011,619 girls got a published name in 1958; 1 in 1,459 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 96.9% of the 7,030 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #218Lillian1,421
  2. #219Priscilla1,396
  3. #220Deanna1,381
  4. #221Shelly1,379
  5. #222Susie1,360
  6. #223Darla1,355
  7. #224April1,352
Biggest movers since 1957
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,133Brigitte#1,904 → #771
  2. ↑ 760Samantha#1,754 → #994
  3. ↑ 709Selena#1,388 → #679
  4. ↑ 672Tambra#1,588 → #916
  5. ↑ 570Bridgette#1,274 → #704
Fallers
  1. ↓ 312Sarita#970 → #1,282
  2. ↓ 311Beryl#910 → #1,221
  3. ↓ 309Sherree#827 → #1,136
  4. ↓ 275Winnie#965 → #1,240
  5. ↓ 236Jacalyn#975 → #1,211

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

boys

2,122,409 boys got a published name in 1958; 1 in 62,424 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 70.7% of the 4,502 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #1,305Roderic35
  2. #1,305Teresa35
  3. #1,305Theo35
  4. #1,321Shelly34
  5. #1,321Burke34
  6. #1,321Cardell34
  7. #1,321Early34
  8. #1,345Arlyn33
  9. #1,345Arvin33
  10. #1,345Beverly33

Tied with 23 names at #1,321; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1957
Risers
  1. ↑ 742Wayde#1,364 → #622
  2. ↑ 568Maverick#1,364 → #796
  3. ↑ 516Darren#897 → #381
  4. ↑ 435Tobin#1,250 → #815
  5. ↑ 406Dion#928 → #522
Fallers
  1. ↓ 388Claud#957 → #1,345
  2. ↓ 349Ritchie#823 → #1,172
  3. ↓ 333Levon#944 → #1,277
  4. ↓ 320Weston#957 → #1,277
  5. ↓ 297Parker#925 → #1,222

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

See the top 100 for 1958 →