Total births
3,494
Girls' name · since 1976
Shaelyn
Since 1976, U.S. Social Security records show 3,494 babies named Shaelyn, peaking in 2000. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #6031
- among girls today
- 3,494
- born since 1976
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other girls
Yes -- Shaelyn is the #6031 most popular girls' name in the U.S. today, with 3,494 recorded since 1976.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shaelyn has been recorded 3,494 times among girls since 1976, currently ranked #6031 nationally and more common than 66% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1976 to 2025.
- #6031 among girls today
- 3,494 born since 1976
- 2000s peak decade
- 66% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shaelyn is currently the #6031 girls' name in America, more common than 66% of girls - 3,494 born since 1976, peaking in the 2000s.
- #6031
- among girls today
- 3,494
- born since 1976
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 66%
- more common than other girls
Shaelyn vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#6031
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 66% of names given to girls today.
2000s
Peak decade
44% of everyone ever named Shaelyn was born in this single decade.
2000
Single peak year
177 babies were named Shaelyn in 2000 - its busiest year on record.
How Shaelyn compares
3,494 Top 16% higher than 84% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Shaelyn's all-time total is 9x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shaelyn | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,494 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 177 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shaelyn's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shaelyn splits its recorded history at 2003: 58% of all births land in the more recent half, 42% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1976 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2000 peak of 177 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shaelyn at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2000
Current rank
#6,031
Active since
1976
Shaelyn popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1976–2025
- Peak year (2000)
- 177
- Annual births at peak, across 50 years of records
Shaelyn by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Shaelyn's strongest decade.
1,534 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 44% of all-time use.
Shaelyn births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 17
1970s
17 births
- 1980s 133
1980s
133 births
- 1990s
1990s
845 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,534 births
- 2010s
2010s
791 births
- 2020s 174
2020s
174 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,534 births (44% of all-time use).
How Shaelyn compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Shaelyn's total volume
Shaelyn vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shaelyn by state
Where Shaelyn concentrates geographically, total births since 1976
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 274 | 7.8% |
| #2 | Texas | | 141 | 4.0% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 120 | 3.4% |
| #4 | Florida | | 109 | 3.1% |
| #5 | New York | | 108 | 3.1% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 104 | 3.0% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 98 | 2.8% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 62 | 1.8% |
California share of Shaelyn's total US births 7.8%
Even split
274 of 3,494 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 31 reporting states.
Shaelyn appears in 31 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shaelyn? ▼
Since 1976, Social Security records show 3,494 babies named Shaelyn. Today it holds rank #6031 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 2000, with 177 births.
When was Shaelyn most popular? ▼
Shaelyn was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,534 total births. The single peak year was 2000.
Where is Shaelyn most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shaelyn are California (274 births), Texas (141 births), Pennsylvania (120 births).
How long has the name Shaelyn been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shaelyn since 1976 -- 50 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shaelyn? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sharon, Shannon, Shawna, Shari, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Shaelyn's data
- Shaelyn's decade-level peak was the 2000s (1,534 total births); usage has since declined to 174 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shaelyns (274 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shaelyn
Nearby Names Like Shaelyn
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shaelyn
Sharon Girl
#1224 723,024 births
Shannon Girl
#1874 295,782 births
Shawna Girl
#6004 45,531 births
Shari Girl
#13636 40,927 births
Shawn Girl
#7307 33,055 births
Compare Shaelyn side by side: Shaelyn vs Sharon Shaelyn vs Shannon Shaelyn vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shaelyn
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1976–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shaelyn: #6031 Girls' Name - 3,494 Births, Peak 2000." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shaelyn. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Shaelyn draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.