Girls' name · since 1951
Shelene
Since 1951, U.S. Social Security records show 321 babies named Shelene, peaking in 1970. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #15,367 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 321
- born since 1951
- 1970s
- peak decade
Shelene sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 321 recorded since 1951.
Social Security Administration records show Shelene recorded 321 times among girls since 1951, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1970s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1951 to 1995.
- #15,367 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 321 born since 1951
- 1970s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelene ranks #15,367 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 321 born since 1951, peaking in the 1970s.
- #15,367 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 321
- born since 1951
- 1970s
- peak decade
Shelene's 321 recorded births place it above 78.75% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 2 jurisdictions, led by California.
Shelene's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shelene splits its recorded history at 1970: 53% of all births land in the more recent half, 47% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1955 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1970 peak of 26 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shelene popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1951–1995
- Peak year (1970)
- 26
- Annual births at peak, across 45 years of records
Shelene by decade
1970s is the heaviest window (134 births, 42% of the file).
1970s was Shelene's strongest decade.
134 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 42% of all-time use.
Shelene births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 40
1950s
40 births
- 1960s
1960s
110 births
- 1970s
1970s
134 births
- 1980s 30
1980s
30 births
- 1990s 7
1990s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 134 births (42% of all-time use).
Shelene by state
Where Shelene concentrates geographically, total births since 1951
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 5 | 1.6% |
| #2 | Washington | | 5 | 1.6% |
5 of 321 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with Shelene's data
- Shelene's decade-level peak was the 1970s (134 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shelenes (5 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shelene
Nearby Names Like Shelene
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelene
Compare Shelene side by side: Shelene vs Sheila Shelene vs Sherry Shelene 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 Shelene: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1970)
Similar record span (~44 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, 1951–1995 (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 Shelene 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.