Girls' name · since 1935
Shelda
Since 1935, U.S. Social Security records show 569 babies named Shelda, peaking in 1941. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #10,920 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 569
- born since 1935
- 1960s
- peak decade
569 girls have been named Shelda since 1935, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelda has been recorded 569 times among girls since 1935, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1960s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1935 to 1988.
- #10,920 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 569 born since 1935
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelda ranks #10,920 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 569 born since 1935, peaking in the 1960s.
- #10,920 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 569
- born since 1935
- 1960s
- peak decade
Shelda's 569 recorded births place it above 84.9% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by North Carolina.
Shelda's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shelda splits its recorded history at 1958: 47% of all births land in the more recent half, 53% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1979 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1941 peak of 27 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shelda popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1935–1988
- Peak year (1941)
- 27
- Annual births at peak, across 54 years of records
Shelda by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (147 births, 26% of the file).
1960s was Shelda's strongest decade.
147 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 26% of all-time use.
Shelda births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s
1930s
69 births
- 1940s
1940s
127 births
- 1950s
1950s
135 births
- 1960s
1960s
147 births
- 1970s
1970s
73 births
- 1980s 18
1980s
18 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 147 births (26% of all-time use).
How Shelda 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 Shelda's total volume
Shelda by state
Where Shelda concentrates geographically, total births since 1935
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 5 | 0.9% |
| #2 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.9% |
5 of 569 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Where does Shelda sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Shelda most popular? ▼
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How long has the name Shelda been used? ▼
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What to do with Shelda's data
- Shelda's decade-level peak was the 1960s (147 total births); usage has since declined to 18 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Sheldas (5 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 Shelda
Nearby Names Like Shelda
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelda
Compare Shelda side by side: Shelda vs Sheila Shelda vs Sherry Shelda 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 Shelda: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1941)
Similar record span (~53 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, 1935–1988 (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 Shelda 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.