Total births
148,830
Unisex name · since 1913
Shelby
Since 1913, U.S. Social Security records show 148,830 babies named Shelby, peaking in 1991. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #658
- among girls today
- 148,830
- born since 1913
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other girls
148,830 babies have been named Shelby since 1913, making it today's #658 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelby has been recorded 148,830 times among girls since 1913, currently ranked #658 nationally and more common than 96% of girls, with its heaviest use in the 1990s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1913 to 2025.
- #658 among girls today
- 148,830 born since 1913
- 1990s peak decade
- 96% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shelby is currently the #658 unisex name in America, more common than 96% of girls - 148,830 born since 1913, peaking in the 1990s.
- #658
- among girls today
- 148,830
- born since 1913
- 1990s
- peak decade
- 96%
- more common than other girls
Shelby vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#658
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 96% of names given to girls today.
1990s
Peak decade
48% of everyone ever named Shelby was born in this single decade.
1991
Single peak year
10,220 babies were named Shelby in 1991 - its busiest year on record.
How Shelby compares
148,830 Top 2% higher than 98% 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
Shelby's all-time total is 390x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shelby | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 148,830 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 10,220 | 48 | 19,840 |
Shelby's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shelby's SSA record in two at 1970 and the more recent half accounts for 88% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 12%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1913, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1991 peak of 10,220, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shelby at a glance
Top 1,000 girls' namePeak year
1991
Current rank
#658
Active since
1913
Shelby popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1913–2025
- Peak year (1991)
- 10,220
- Annual births at peak, across 113 years of records
Shelby popularity over time - boys
16,449 total births recorded since 1880 (Shelby as boys' name)
Shelby by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1990s was Shelby's strongest decade.
71,995 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 48% of all-time use.
Shelby births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 46
1910s
46 births
- 1920s 95
1920s
95 births
- 1930s 6,077
1930s
6,077 births
- 1940s 4,895
1940s
4,895 births
- 1950s 3,075
1950s
3,075 births
- 1960s 3,267
1960s
3,267 births
- 1970s 5,970
1970s
5,970 births
- 1980s 7,881
1980s
7,881 births
- 1990s
1990s
71,995 births
- 2000s
2000s
31,310 births
- 2010s 11,216
2010s
11,216 births
- 2020s 3,003
2020s
3,003 births
What this shows Peak: 1990s at 71,995 births (48% of all-time use).
How Shelby 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 Shelby's total volume
Shelby vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shelby by state
Where Shelby concentrates geographically, total births since 1913
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 13,480 | 9.1% |
| #2 | California | | 10,734 | 7.2% |
| #3 | Florida | | 6,793 | 4.6% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 6,377 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Tennessee | | 6,209 | 4.2% |
| #6 | Michigan | | 5,933 | 4.0% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 5,810 | 3.9% |
| #8 | Georgia | | 5,287 | 3.6% |
Texas share of Shelby's total US births 9.1%
Even split
13,480 of 148,830 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 51 reporting states.
Shelby appears in 51 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelby? ▼
148,830 babies have been named Shelby since 1913. It currently ranks #658 among girls. The peak year was 1991 with 10,220 births.
When was Shelby most popular? ▼
Shelby was most popular in the 1990s decade with 71,995 total births. The single peak year was 1991.
Where is Shelby most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shelby are Texas (13,480 births), California (10,734 births), Florida (6,793 births).
Is Shelby a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shelby is used for both boys and girls. As a girl's name it has 148,830 births, and as a boy's name it has 16,449 births.
How long has the name Shelby been used? ▼
Records for Shelby go back to 1913, giving 113 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Shelby? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sheila, Sherry, Shelly, Sherri, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Shelby's data
- Shelby's decade-level peak was the 1990s (71,995 total births); usage has since declined to 3,003 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Shelbys (13,480 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas 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 Shelby
Nearby Names Like Shelby
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelby
Sheila Girl
#2013 238,774 births
Sherry Girl
#6948 229,937 births
Shelly Girl
#4580 84,420 births
Sherri Girl
#8493 83,667 births
Sheryl Girl
#5322 78,826 births
Compare Shelby side by side: Shelby vs Sheila Shelby vs Sherry Shelby vs Shelly
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shelby
Dallas #657
15,882 births · Peak 2015
Aliza #659
11,970 births · Peak 2023
Georgina #656
17,591 births · Peak 2024
Skyler #660
27,698 births · Peak 2000
Jazmin #655
44,421 births · Peak 2006
Averie #661
13,448 births · Peak 2014
Indie #654
4,412 births · Peak 2022
Rosa #662
177,415 births · Peak 1925
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, 1913–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shelby: #658 Unisex Name - 148,830 Births, Peak 1991." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shelby. 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 Shelby 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.