Total births
47,780
Girls' name · since 1915
Shelia
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 47,780 babies named Shelia, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- 47,780
- total births
- 1915–2023
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
Shelia is not among the current top-ranked girls names; 47,780 have been recorded since 1915.
Social Security Administration records show Shelia recorded 47,780 times among girls since 1915, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1960s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2023.
- 47,780 total births
- 1915–2023 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 39% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
47,780 girls have been named Shelia since 1915, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 2023.
- 47,780
- total births
- 1915–2023
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 39%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Shelia was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
2,283 babies were named Shelia in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
Shelia's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shelia splits its recorded history at 1969: 20% of all births land in the more recent half, 80% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1915 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1959 peak of 2,283 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shelia at a glance
Last recorded 2023Peak year
1959
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1915
Shelia popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2023
- Peak year (1959)
- 2,283
- Annual births at peak, across 109 years of records
Shelia popularity over time - boys
111 total births recorded since 1954 (Shelia as boys' name)
Shelia by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Shelia's strongest decade.
18,444 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Shelia births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 24
1910s
24 births
- 1920s 147
1920s
147 births
- 1930s 384
1930s
384 births
- 1940s 4,013
1940s
4,013 births
- 1950s
1950s
16,752 births
- 1960s
1960s
18,444 births
- 1970s 5,842
1970s
5,842 births
- 1980s 1,353
1980s
1,353 births
- 1990s 504
1990s
504 births
- 2000s 190
2000s
190 births
- 2010s 93
2010s
93 births
- 2020s 34
2020s
34 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 18,444 births (39% of all-time use).
How Shelia 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 Shelia's total volume
Shelia vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shelia by state
Where Shelia concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 4,034 | 8.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 4,014 | 8.4% |
| #3 | Alabama | | 3,673 | 7.7% |
| #4 | Tennessee | | 3,608 | 7.6% |
| #5 | Louisiana | | 3,245 | 6.8% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 2,965 | 6.2% |
| #7 | Mississippi | | 2,745 | 5.7% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 2,325 | 4.9% |
North Carolina share of Shelia's total US births 8.4%
Even split
4,034 of 47,780 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 41 reporting states.
Shelia appears in 41 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelia? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 47,780 babies named Shelia. The most recent recorded year was 2023. Its busiest year on record was 1959, with 2,283 births.
When was Shelia most popular? ▼
Shelia was most popular in the 1960s decade with 18,444 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Shelia most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shelia are North Carolina (4,034 births), Texas (4,014 births), Alabama (3,673 births).
How long has the name Shelia been used? ▼
Records for Shelia go back to 1915, giving 109 years of history through 2023.
What names are similar to Shelia? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sheila, Sherry, Shelby, Shelly, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
What to do with Shelia's data
- Shelia's decade-level peak was the 1960s (18,444 total births); usage has since declined to 34 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Shelias (4,034 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Shelia
Nearby Names Like Shelia
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelia
Sheila Girl
#2013 238,774 births
Sherry Girl
#6948 229,937 births
Shelby Girl
#658 148,830 births
Shelly Girl
#4580 84,420 births
Sherri Girl
#8493 83,667 births
Compare Shelia side by side: Shelia vs Sheila Shelia vs Sherry Shelia vs Shelby
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Elisa #433
47,661 births · Peak 2012
Carolina #431
47,971 births · Peak 2004
Elisabeth #908
48,018 births · Peak 2001
Ashlyn #902
48,039 births · Peak 2005
Serena #331
47,450 births · Peak 2000
Mollie #1202
48,164 births · Peak 1915
Adrianna #771
48,284 births · Peak 2007
Lottie #676
48,352 births · Peak 1916
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, 1915–2023 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shelia: Baby Name Since 1915 - 47,780 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shelia. 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 Shelia 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.