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
- Peak · girls
- 1966 · 3,856 births
- Debut · girls
- 5 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 5 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 84,420since 1916
Shelly over time
Rank among girls' names. 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 | #5,722 | 21 | — | |
| 2024 | #4,560 | 30 | — | |
| 2023 | #5,960 | 20 | — | |
| 2022 | #4,793 | 28 | — | |
| 2021 | #4,507 | 30 | — | |
| 2020 | #5,003 | 25 | — | |
| 2019 | #4,653 | 29 | — | |
| 2018 | #4,662 | 29 | — | |
| 2017 | #4,220 | 34 | — | |
| 2016 | #4,083 | 36 | — | |
| 2015 | #3,478 | 45 | — | |
| 2014 | #3,226 | 50 | — | |
| 2013 | #3,123 | 52 | — | |
| 2012 | #3,169 | 52 | — | |
| 2011 | #3,843 | 39 | — | |
| 2010 | #2,976 | 57 | — | |
| 2009 | #2,396 | 80 | — | |
| 2008 | #2,663 | 69 | — | |
| 2007 | #2,541 | 73 | #12,367 | 5 |
| 2006 | #2,165 | 89 | — | |
| 2005 | #1,790 | 109 | — | |
| 2004 | #1,883 | 100 | — | |
| 2003 | #1,676 | 114 | — | |
| 2002 | #1,535 | 123 | — | |
| 2001 | #1,499 | 125 | #10,556 | 5 |
| 2000 | #1,301 | 147 | — | |
| 1999 | #1,206 | 158 | — | |
| 1998 | #1,129 | 168 | — | |
| 1997 | #1,130 | 166 | — | |
| 1996 | #904 | 217 | #7,136 | 7 |
| 1995 | #819 | 240 | — | |
| 1994 | #738 | 281 | #7,770 | 6 |
| 1993 | #697 | 307 | #6,816 | 7 |
| 1992 | #647 | 348 | — | |
| 1991 | #538 | 434 | #7,271 | 6 |
| 1990 | #564 | 413 | #5,823 | 8 |
| 1989 | #504 | 466 | #4,017 | 13 |
| 1988 | #429 | 537 | #5,751 | 7 |
| 1987 | #371 | 629 | — | |
| 1986 | #325 | 744 | #5,332 | 7 |
| 1985 | #281 | 885 | #5,785 | 6 |
| 1984 | #258 | 949 | #4,215 | 9 |
| 1983 | #230 | 1,073 | #4,499 | 8 |
| 1982 | #226 | 1,137 | #3,282 | 13 |
| 1981 | #212 | 1,228 | #4,153 | 9 |
| 1980 | #186 | 1,451 | #3,430 | 12 |
| 1979 | #182 | 1,456 | #2,310 | 21 |
| 1978 | #175 | 1,501 | #1,870 | 27 |
| 1977 | #151 | 1,848 | #2,665 | 16 |
| 1976 | #145 | 1,861 | #1,932 | 25 |
| 1975 | #113 | 2,484 | #1,787 | 27 |
| 1974 | #107 | 2,797 | #1,618 | 30 |
| 1973 | #104 | 2,910 | #1,376 | 37 |
| 1972 | #94 | 3,288 | #1,364 | 38 |
| 1971 | #103 | 3,637 | #1,560 | 31 |
| 1970 | #103 | 3,751 | #1,351 | 38 |
| 1969 | #102 | 3,676 | #1,326 | 36 |
| 1968 | #98 | 3,595 | #1,165 | 42 |
| 1967 | #94 | 3,648 | #1,476 | 27 |
| 1966 | #89 | 3,856 | #1,401 | 30 |
| 1965 | #98 | 3,850 | #1,129 | 44 |
| 1964 | #101 | 4,080 | #1,114 | 47 |
| 1963 | #117 | 3,790 | #1,403 | 31 |
| 1962 | #130 | 3,480 | #1,423 | 30 |
| 1961 | #145 | 2,994 | #1,262 | 39 |
| 1960 | #157 | 2,692 | #1,252 | 39 |
| 1959 | #188 | 1,883 | #1,559 | 26 |
| 1958 | #221 | 1,379 | #1,321 | 34 |
| 1957 | #244 | 1,210 | #1,278 | 37 |
| 1956 | #291 | 929 | #1,335 | 33 |
| 1955 | #306 | 786 | #1,725 | 20 |
| 1954 | #306 | 759 | #1,169 | 41 |
| 1953 | #356 | 571 | #1,331 | 32 |
| 1952 | #355 | 538 | #1,152 | 41 |
| 1951 | #415 | 407 | #1,150 | 39 |
| 1950 | #440 | 333 | #926 | 55 |
| 1949 | #615 | 181 | #1,185 | 36 |
| 1948 | #863 | 102 | #1,194 | 36 |
| 1947 | #1,031 | 74 | #1,271 | 33 |
| 1946 | #997 | 71 | #1,509 | 22 |
| 1945 | #873 | 74 | #1,078 | 36 |
| 1944 | #1,079 | 52 | #1,212 | 30 |
| 1943 | #975 | 66 | #1,170 | 34 |
| 1942 | #1,037 | 57 | #1,244 | 31 |
| 1941 | #1,294 | 35 | #1,254 | 28 |
| 1940 | #1,218 | 36 | #1,251 | 29 |
| 1939 | #1,160 | 39 | #1,323 | 25 |
| 1938 | #1,316 | 31 | #1,310 | 26 |
| 1937 | #1,303 | 31 | #1,212 | 30 |
| 1936 | #1,741 | 19 | #1,182 | 31 |
| 1935 | #1,845 | 18 | #1,295 | 27 |
| 1934 | #1,913 | 17 | #1,357 | 25 |
| 1933 | #3,753 | 6 | #1,829 | 15 |
| 1932 | #1,957 | 17 | #1,465 | 23 |
| 1931 | #2,750 | 10 | #1,843 | 16 |
| 1930 | #4,047 | 6 | #1,463 | 25 |
| 1929 | — | #1,480 | 24 | |
| 1928 | #3,743 | 7 | #1,165 | 37 |
| 1927 | #2,699 | 12 | #1,748 | 20 |
| 1926 | #4,851 | 5 | #1,432 | 26 |
| 1925 | — | #1,628 | 22 | |
| 1924 | #3,393 | 9 | #1,287 | 32 |
| 1923 | #3,641 | 8 | #1,358 | 29 |
| 1922 | #4,445 | 6 | #1,952 | 17 |
| 1921 | — | #2,059 | 16 | |
| 1920 | — | #1,885 | 18 | |
| 1919 | — | #1,811 | 18 | |
| 1918 | — | #1,539 | 23 | |
| 1917 | — | #1,986 | 15 | |
| 1916 | #4,417 | 5 | #1,698 | 18 |
| 1915 | — | #1,878 | 15 | |
| 1914 | — | #1,608 | 15 | |
| 1913 | — | #1,497 | 13 | |
| 1912 | — | #1,746 | 9 | |
| 1911 | — | — | ||
| 1910 | — | — | ||
| 1909 | — | #1,083 | 8 | |
| 1908 | — | — | ||
| 1907 | — | #1,345 | 5 | |
| 1906 | — | — | ||
| 1905 | — | #1,233 | 5 | |
| 1904 | — | #874 | 8 | |
| 1903 | — | — | ||
| 1902 | — | #862 | 8 | |
| 1901 | — | #779 | 8 | |
| 1900 | — | #968 | 8 | |
| 1899 | — | #928 | 6 | |
| 1898 | — | #885 | 7 | |
| 1897 | — | #787 | 8 | |
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | #978 | 6 | |
| 1894 | — | #857 | 7 | |
| 1893 | — | #705 | 9 | |
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | #841 | 6 | |
| 1890 | — | #994 | 5 | |
| 1889 | — | #722 | 8 | |
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | — | ||
| 1886 | — | #959 | 5 | |
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | — | — | ||
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | #754 | 7 | |
| 1881 | — | — | ||
| 1880 | — | — | ||
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 1972
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Oklahoma#17 · 1 in 109
- Kansas#31 · 1 in 169
- South Dakota#46 · 1 in 174
- Idaho#47 · 1 in 189
- Arkansas#49 · 1 in 201
Best ever in a state: #17 in Oklahoma, 1972.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | #17 | 149 | 1 in 109 |
| Kansas | #31 | 73 | 1 in 169 |
| South Dakota | #46 | 22 | 1 in 174 |
| Idaho | #47 | 25 | 1 in 189 |
| Arkansas | #49 | 65 | 1 in 201 |
| Nebraska | #49 | 42 | 1 in 223 |
| Montana | #51 | 21 | 1 in 185 |
| Missouri | #54 | 124 | 1 in 252 |
| North Dakota | #54 | 20 | 1 in 198 |
| Iowa | #55 | 74 | 1 in 236 |
| Washington | #58 | 75 | 1 in 256 |
| Utah | #59 | 42 | 1 in 251 |
| Hawaii | #61 | 18 | 1 in 247 |
| West Virginia | #61 | 48 | 1 in 254 |
| Wisconsin | #63 | 101 | 1 in 272 |
| Colorado | #65 | 59 | 1 in 267 |
| Oregon | #65 | 48 | 1 in 263 |
| New Hampshire | #66 | 18 | 1 in 247 |
| Alaska | #68 | 9 | 1 in 233 |
| Nevada | #68 | 11 | 1 in 248 |
| Ohio | #72 | 223 | 1 in 334 |
| Michigan | #75 | 191 | 1 in 324 |
| Louisiana | #76 | 83 | 1 in 320 |
| Minnesota | #76 | 76 | 1 in 317 |
| Texas | #79 | 269 | 1 in 358 |
| Indiana | #80 | 103 | 1 in 360 |
| Maine | #86 | 19 | 1 in 344 |
| Delaware | #90 | 10 | 1 in 307 |
| Wyoming | #92 | 6 | 1 in 290 |
| Kentucky | #97 | 54 | 1 in 440 |
| Tennessee | #98 | 65 | 1 in 435 |
| Pennsylvania | #102 | 153 | 1 in 471 |
| California | #106 | 293 | 1 in 468 |
| Illinois | #121 | 136 | 1 in 549 |
| Vermont | #121 | 6 | 1 in 415 |
| Virginia | #132 | 47 | 1 in 630 |
| New Mexico | #135 | 15 | 1 in 509 |
| Mississippi | #138 | 31 | 1 in 559 |
| Connecticut | #141 | 22 | 1 in 719 |
| Arizona | #145 | 24 | 1 in 603 |
| Maryland | #147 | 32 | 1 in 643 |
| North Carolina | #155 | 51 | 1 in 720 |
| Florida | #156 | 58 | 1 in 767 |
| Georgia | #161 | 49 | 1 in 734 |
| Alabama | #173 | 31 | 1 in 779 |
| Massachusetts | #177 | 34 | 1 in 1,007 |
| New York | #207 | 103 | 1 in 1,076 |
| New Jersey | #214 | 36 | 1 in 1,132 |
| District of Columbia | #221 | 8 | 1 in 926 |
| South Carolina | #252 | 14 | 1 in 1,372 |
| 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
- 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)
- Debuted 1916
- Peaked 1966 at #89 (3,856 births)
- Births halved by 1976, 10 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 5 yrs · run 1965–1968
- Top 1,000: 52 yrs · run 1948–1996
- Highest: 1 in 439 girls born in 1966 were named Shelly (0.23%)
- Latest: 1 in 76,537 girls born in 2025 (0.00%)
- 42.2% of all girls named Shelly (35,661) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | #4,417 (1916) | #4,417 |
| 1920s | 47 | #2,699 (1927) | #3,795 |
| 1930s | 194 | #1,160 (1939) | #2,179 |
| 1940s | 748 | #615 (1949) | #998 |
| 1950s | 8,795 | #188 (1959) | #312 |
| 1960s | 35,661 | #89 (1966) | #113 |
| 1970s | 25,533 | #94 (1972) | #128 |
| 1980s | 9,099 | #186 (1980) | #302 |
| 1990s | 2,732 | #538 (1991) | #837 |
| 2000s | 1,029 | #1,301 (2000) | #1,945 |
| 2010s | 423 | #2,976 (2010) | #3,743 |
| 2020s | 154 | #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 1972
Top girls' names in 1972
Top boys' names in 1972
More about 1972
girls
1,521,244 girls got a published name in 1972; 1 in 463 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 99.0% of the 9,666 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,621,608 boys got a published name in 1972; 1 in 42,674 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 76.3% of the 5,751 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 26.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
- #1,348Serge39
- #1,348Vladimir39
- #1,348Wylie39
- #1,364Shelly38
- #1,364Alonza38
- #1,364Bud38
- #1,364Cynthia38
- #1,391Arlen37
- #1,391Christen37
- #1,391Dwyane37
Tied with 26 names at #1,364; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.