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#10,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201983peak #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 1983

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedAKMaine: #170 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 891 girlsMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNHWashington: #225 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,299 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedIDMontana: #180 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 784 girlsMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #299 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,330 girlsMNIllinois: #303 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 2,022 girlsILWisconsin: #199 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,270 girlsWIMichigan: #242 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 1,674 girlsMINew York: #416 for girls · 35 births · 1 in 2,939 girlsNYMassachusetts: #353 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,737 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedRIOregon: #204 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 1,065 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #142 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 631 girlsSDIowa: #191 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 1,081 girlsIAIndiana: #181 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 1,127 girlsINOhio: #199 for girls · 52 births · 1 in 1,324 girlsOHPennsylvania: #296 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 2,192 girlsPANew Jersey: #776 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 7,649 girlsNJConnecticut: #314 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,258 girlsCTCalifornia: #313 for girls · 100 births · 1 in 1,877 girlsCAUtah: #103 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 514 girlsUTColorado: #289 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,817 girlsCONebraska: #184 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 938 girlsNEMissouri: #174 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 967 girlsMOKentucky: #130 for girls · 33 births · 1 in 683 girlsKYWest Virginia: #242 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 1,529 girlsWVVirginia: #191 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 1,061 girlsVAMaryland: #257 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,609 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedDEArizona: #314 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,698 girlsAZNew Mexico: #364 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,890 girlsNMKansas: #171 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 863 girlsKSArkansas: #101 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 463 girlsARTennessee: #125 for girls · 42 births · 1 in 657 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #234 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 1,390 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #210 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,110 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Shelly, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #113 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 590 girlsOKLouisiana: #107 for girls · 56 births · 1 in 549 girlsLAMississippi: #199 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 953 girlsMSAlabama: #245 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,360 girlsALGeorgia: #213 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 1,254 girlsGAHawaii: #201 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 769 girlsHITexas: #259 for girls · 87 births · 1 in 1,475 girlsTXFlorida: #233 for girls · 41 births · 1 in 1,435 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Arkansas#101 · 1 in 463
  2. Utah#103 · 1 in 514
  3. Louisiana#107 · 1 in 549
  4. Oklahoma#113 · 1 in 590
  5. Tennessee#125 · 1 in 657

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arkansas#101281 in 463
Utah#103301 in 514
Louisiana#107561 in 549
Oklahoma#113371 in 590
Tennessee#125421 in 657
Kentucky#130331 in 683
South Dakota#14271 in 631
Maine#17071 in 891
Kansas#171181 in 863
Missouri#174331 in 967
Montana#18061 in 784
Indiana#181301 in 1,127
Nebraska#184111 in 938
Iowa#191171 in 1,081
Virginia#191291 in 1,061
Mississippi#199161 in 953
Ohio#199521 in 1,324
Wisconsin#199241 in 1,270
Hawaii#20171 in 769
Oregon#204151 in 1,065
South Carolina#210161 in 1,110
Georgia#213281 in 1,254
Washington#225211 in 1,299
Florida#233411 in 1,435
North Carolina#234241 in 1,390
Michigan#242331 in 1,674
West Virginia#24271 in 1,529
Alabama#245161 in 1,360
Maryland#257141 in 1,609
Texas#259871 in 1,475
Colorado#289121 in 1,817
Pennsylvania#296311 in 2,192
Minnesota#299121 in 2,330
Illinois#303361 in 2,022
California#3131001 in 1,877
Arizona#314121 in 1,698
Connecticut#31471 in 2,258
Massachusetts#353121 in 2,737
New Mexico#36451 in 1,890
New York#416351 in 2,939
New Jersey#77651 in 7,649
Alaska———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Idaho———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
North Dakota———
Rhode Island———
Vermont———
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 1983

girls
#230
1,073 births · 1 in 1,557 girls
boys
#4,499
8 births · 1 in 224,071 boys

Top girls' names in 1983

  1. #1Jennifer54,353
  2. #2Jessica45,283
  3. #3Amanda33,749
  4. #4Ashley33,289
  5. #5Sarah27,228
  6. #6Melissa23,475
  7. #7Nicole22,400
  8. #8Stephanie22,329
  9. #9Heather20,747
  10. #10Elizabeth19,842
  11. #230Shelly1,073

Top boys' names in 1983

  1. #1Michael68,004
  2. #2Christopher59,324
  3. #3Matthew50,209
  4. #4David39,201
  5. #5Joshua36,687
  6. #6James36,342
  7. #7Jason35,113
  8. #8Daniel34,748
  9. #9John33,154
  10. #10Robert32,745
  11. #4,499Shelly8
More about 1983

girls

1,670,609 girls got a published name in 1983; 1 in 1,557 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 98.1% of the 12,074 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.1% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #227Christie1,099
  2. #228Olivia1,088
  3. #229Debra1,084
  4. #230Shelly1,073
  5. #231Kellie1,072
  6. #232Krystle1,066
  7. #233Rose1,061
Biggest movers since 1982
Risers
  1. ↑ 6,772Ciji#7,469 → #697
  2. ↑ 6,751Kirby#7,469 → #718
  3. ↑ 2,656Dwan#3,530 → #874
  4. ↑ 1,888Mallory#2,220 → #332
  5. ↑ 987Marquita#1,099 → #112
Fallers
  1. ↓ 656Syreeta#717 → #1,373
  2. ↓ 572Jenilee#817 → #1,389
  3. ↓ 538Tenika#947 → #1,485
  4. ↓ 396Toccara#541 → #937
  5. ↓ 333Venus#950 → #1,283

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

boys

1,792,564 boys got a published name in 1983; 1 in 224,071 of them was named Shelly, which outranked 38.7% of the 7,344 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shelly
  1. #4,141Ysidro9
  2. #4,141Zac9
  3. #4,141Zvi9
  4. #4,499Shelly8
  5. #4,499Abayomi8
  6. #4,499Abdur8
  7. #4,499Abed8
  8. #4,907Aamir7
  9. #4,907Aaren7
  10. #4,907Aaric7

Tied with 407 names at #4,499; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1982
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,260Remington#3,108 → #848
  2. ↑ 2,159Trumaine#3,108 → #949
  3. ↑ 1,157Akeem#1,774 → #617
  4. ↑ 738Jacoby#1,654 → #916
  5. ↑ 655Deven#1,622 → #967
Fallers
  1. ↓ 284Marcello#969 → #1,253
  2. ↓ 275Schuyler#845 → #1,120
  3. ↓ 273Jessy#917 → #1,190
  4. ↓ 258Kennith#981 → #1,239
  5. ↓ 220Jarrad#933 → #1,153

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

See the top 100 for 1983 →