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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201963peak #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 1963

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #161 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 541 girlsAKMaine: #104 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 388 girlsMEVermont: #135 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 546 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #102 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 362 girlsNHWashington: #54 for girls · 125 births · 1 in 205 girlsWAIdaho: #54 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 205 girlsIDMontana: #28 for girls · 48 births · 1 in 119 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #26 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 113 girlsNDMinnesota: #67 for girls · 144 births · 1 in 247 girlsMNIllinois: #143 for girls · 150 births · 1 in 661 girlsILWisconsin: #80 for girls · 134 births · 1 in 304 girlsWIMichigan: #69 for girls · 301 births · 1 in 266 girlsMINew York: #218 for girls · 136 births · 1 in 1,200 girlsNYMassachusetts: #227 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 1,617 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedRIOregon: #50 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 200 girlsORNevada: #50 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 169 girlsNVWyoming: #76 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 228 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #45 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 159 girlsSDIowa: #47 for girls · 156 births · 1 in 162 girlsIAIndiana: #89 for girls · 125 births · 1 in 377 girlsINOhio: #104 for girls · 229 births · 1 in 418 girlsOHPennsylvania: #151 for girls · 135 births · 1 in 754 girlsPANew Jersey: #233 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 1,474 girlsNJConnecticut: #211 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,279 girlsCTCalifornia: #77 for girls · 513 births · 1 in 339 girlsCAUtah: #34 for girls · 69 births · 1 in 144 girlsUTColorado: #50 for girls · 100 births · 1 in 189 girlsCONebraska: #46 for girls · 82 births · 1 in 169 girlsNEMissouri: #80 for girls · 128 births · 1 in 321 girlsMOKentucky: #257 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,677 girlsKYWest Virginia: #176 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 890 girlsWVVirginia: #252 for girls · 25 births · 1 in 1,592 girlsVAMaryland: #140 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 635 girlsMDDelaware: #175 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 880 girlsDEArizona: #146 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 538 girlsAZNew Mexico: #102 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 344 girlsNMKansas: #46 for girls · 112 births · 1 in 166 girlsKSArkansas: #112 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 486 girlsARTennessee: #342 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 2,672 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #296 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 2,107 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #358 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,472 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #190 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 917 girlsDCOklahoma: #44 for girls · 126 births · 1 in 160 girlsOKLouisiana: #185 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 841 girlsLAMississippi: #203 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 985 girlsMSAlabama: #302 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,887 girlsALGeorgia: #306 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 2,077 girlsGAHawaii: #146 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 507 girlsHITexas: #142 for girls · 182 births · 1 in 589 girlsTXFlorida: #197 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 1,032 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. North Dakota#26 · 1 in 113
  2. Montana#28 · 1 in 119
  3. Utah#34 · 1 in 144
  4. Oklahoma#44 · 1 in 160
  5. South Dakota#45 · 1 in 159

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
North Dakota#26511 in 113
Montana#28481 in 119
Utah#34691 in 144
Oklahoma#441261 in 160
South Dakota#45411 in 159
Kansas#461121 in 166
Nebraska#46821 in 169
Iowa#471561 in 162
Colorado#501001 in 189
Nevada#50181 in 169
Oregon#50721 in 200
Idaho#54271 in 205
Washington#541251 in 205
Minnesota#671441 in 247
Michigan#693011 in 266
Wyoming#76111 in 228
California#775131 in 339
Missouri#801281 in 321
Wisconsin#801341 in 304
Indiana#891251 in 377
New Hampshire#102151 in 362
New Mexico#102321 in 344
Maine#104241 in 388
Ohio#1042291 in 418
Arkansas#112361 in 486
Vermont#13561 in 546
Maryland#140471 in 635
Texas#1421821 in 589
Illinois#1431501 in 661
Arizona#146281 in 538
Hawaii#146121 in 507
Pennsylvania#1511351 in 754
Alaska#16151 in 541
Delaware#17551 in 880
West Virginia#176171 in 890
Louisiana#185431 in 841
District of Columbia#190141 in 917
Florida#197471 in 1,032
Mississippi#203241 in 985
Connecticut#211191 in 1,279
New York#2181361 in 1,200
Massachusetts#227321 in 1,617
New Jersey#233391 in 1,474
Virginia#252251 in 1,592
Kentucky#257181 in 1,677
North Carolina#296221 in 2,107
Alabama#302171 in 1,887
Georgia#306211 in 2,077
Tennessee#342131 in 2,672
South Carolina#358101 in 2,472
Rhode Island———

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 1963

girls
#117
3,790 births · 1 in 509 girls
boys
#1,403
31 births · 1 in 65,519 boys

Top girls' names in 1963

  1. #1Lisa56,047
  2. #2Mary41,546
  3. #3Susan33,991
  4. #4Karen32,492
  5. #5Linda27,727
  6. #6Donna25,405
  7. #7Patricia25,374
  8. #8Lori23,899
  9. #9Sandra21,621
  10. #10Cynthia21,589
  11. #117Shelly3,790

Top boys' names in 1963

  1. #1Michael83,771
  2. #2John78,636
  3. #3David78,444
  4. #4James71,294
  5. #5Robert70,007
  6. #6Mark49,342
  7. #7William44,453
  8. #8Richard40,772
  9. #9Thomas35,490
  10. #10Jeffrey31,701
  11. #1,403Shelly31
More about 1963

girls

1,927,507 girls got a published name in 1963; 1 in 509 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 98.5% of the 7,661 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #114Joanne3,858
  2. #115Rita3,808
  3. #116Dorothy3,796
  4. #117Shelly3,790
  5. #118Rose3,700
  6. #118Tracey3,700
  7. #120Vickie3,636
Biggest movers since 1962
Risers
  1. ↑ 631Zena#1,323 → #692
  2. ↑ 623Zina#992 → #369
  3. ↑ 540Trisha#1,020 → #480
  4. ↑ 457Shirl#1,304 → #847
  5. ↑ 396Glynis#992 → #596
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,195Marnita#727 → #1,922
  2. ↓ 255Velvet#623 → #878
  3. ↓ 235Delphine#904 → #1,139
  4. ↓ 224Rosita#934 → #1,158
  5. ↓ 197Lindy#885 → #1,082

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

boys

2,031,078 boys got a published name in 1963; 1 in 65,519 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 69.6% of the 4,621 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 28.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #1,375Walton32
  2. #1,375Wayde32
  3. #1,375Wyman32
  4. #1,403Shelly31
  5. #1,403Bertrand31
  6. #1,403Buster31
  7. #1,403Chandler31
  8. #1,426Addison30
  9. #1,426Beverly30
  10. #1,426Bonnie30

Tied with 22 names at #1,403; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1962
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,551Tal#2,364 → #813
  2. ↑ 1,141Jaimie#1,962 → #821
  3. ↑ 540Stoney#1,038 → #498
  4. ↑ 364Pamela#1,311 → #947
  5. ↑ 331Giovanni#1,242 → #911
Fallers
  1. ↓ 324Olin#871 → #1,195
  2. ↓ 295Enoch#984 → #1,279
  3. ↓ 285Rand#953 → #1,238
  4. ↓ 283Vernell#996 → #1,279
  5. ↓ 269Bentley#926 → #1,195

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

See the top 100 for 1963 →