Girls' name · since 1935
Shelba
Since 1935, U.S. Social Security records show 2,136 babies named Shelba, peaking in 1937. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4,511 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 2,136
- born since 1935
- 1930s
- peak decade
Shelba sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 2,136 recorded since 1935.
Social Security Administration records show Shelba recorded 2,136 times among girls since 1935, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1935 to 1982.
- #4,511 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 2,136 born since 1935
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelba ranks #4,511 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,136 born since 1935, peaking in the 1930s.
- #4,511 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 2,136
- born since 1935
- 1930s
- peak decade
Shelba's 2,136 recorded births place it above 93.76% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
18 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by North Carolina.
Shelba's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shelba splits its recorded history at 1956: 15% of all births land in the more recent half, 85% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1973 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1937 peak of 344 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shelba popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1935–1982
- Peak year (1937)
- 344
- Annual births at peak, across 48 years of records
Shelba popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1937 (Shelba as boys' name)
Shelba by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (970 births, 45% of the file).
1930s was Shelba's strongest decade.
970 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Shelba births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s
1930s
970 births
- 1940s
1940s
679 births
- 1950s 287
1950s
287 births
- 1960s 146
1960s
146 births
- 1970s 38
1970s
38 births
- 1980s 16
1980s
16 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 970 births (45% of all-time use).
How Shelba 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 Shelba's total volume
Shelba by state
Where Shelba concentrates geographically, total births since 1935
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 225 | 10.5% |
| #2 | Georgia | | 165 | 7.7% |
| #3 | West Virginia | | 124 | 5.8% |
| #4 | Arkansas | | 119 | 5.6% |
| #5 | Alabama | | 110 | 5.1% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 93 | 4.4% |
| #7 | Ohio | | 86 | 4.0% |
| #8 | Missouri | | 79 | 3.7% |
225 of 2,136 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Shelba appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelba? ▼
Where does Shelba sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Shelba most popular? ▼
Where is Shelba most popular? ▼
How long has the name Shelba been used? ▼
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What to do with Shelba's data
- Shelba's decade-level peak was the 1930s (970 total births); usage has since declined to 16 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Shelbas (225 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shelba
Nearby Names Like Shelba
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelba
Compare Shelba side by side: Shelba vs Sheila Shelba vs Sherry Shelba vs Shelby
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Shelba: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1937)
Similar record span (~47 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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, 1935–1982 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
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 Shelba 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 August 2026.