Total births
966
Girls' name · since 1968
Shalena
966 babies named Shalena in U.S. Social Security records since 1968, with the highest year being 1977. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 966
- total births
- 1968–2008
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 40%
- born in that decade
Shalena is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 966 have been recorded since 1968.
Social Security Administration records show Shalena recorded 966 times among girls since 1968, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1980s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1968 to 2008.
- 966 total births
- 1968–2008 years on record
- 1980s peak decade
- 40% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
966 girls have been named Shalena since 1968, peaking in the 1980s, last recorded in 2008.
- 966
- total births
- 1968–2008
- years on record
- 1980s
- peak decade
- 40%
- born in that decade
1980s
Peak decade
40% of everyone ever named Shalena was born in this single decade.
1977
Single peak year
47 babies were named Shalena in 1977 - its busiest year on record.
Shalena's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shalena splits its recorded history at 1988: 39% of all births land in the more recent half, 61% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1968 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1977 peak of 47 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shalena at a glance
Last recorded 2008Peak year
1977
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1968
Shalena popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1968–2008
- Peak year (1977)
- 47
- Annual births at peak, across 41 years of records
Shalena by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1980s was Shalena's strongest decade.
388 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.
Shalena births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 15
1960s
15 births
- 1970s
1970s
244 births
- 1980s
1980s
388 births
- 1990s
1990s
234 births
- 2000s 85
2000s
85 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 388 births (40% of all-time use).
How Shalena 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 Shalena's total volume
Shalena vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shalena by state
Where Shalena concentrates geographically, total births since 1968
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 37 | 3.8% |
| #2 | New York | | 15 | 1.6% |
| #3 | Texas | | 13 | 1.3% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 5 | 0.5% |
California share of Shalena's total US births 3.8%
Even split
37 of 966 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shalena? ▼
966 babies have been named Shalena since 1968. It was last recorded in 2008. The peak year was 1977 with 47 births.
When was Shalena most popular? ▼
Shalena was most popular in the 1980s decade with 388 total births. The single peak year was 1977.
Where is Shalena most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shalena are California (37 births), New York (15 births), Texas (13 births).
How long has the name Shalena been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shalena since 1968 -- 41 years through the most recent 2008 data.
What names are similar to Shalena? ▼
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 Shalena's data
- Shalena's decade-level peak was the 1980s (388 total births); usage has since declined to 85 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shalenas (37 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 Shalena
Nearby Names Like Shalena
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shalena
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 Shalena side by side: Shalena vs Sharon Shalena vs Shannon Shalena vs Shawna
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1968–2008 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shalena: Baby Name Since 1968 - 966 Births, Peak 1977." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shalena. 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 Shalena 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 July 2026.