Total births
966
Girls' name · since 1953
Shelita
966 babies named Shelita in U.S. Social Security records since 1953, with the highest year being 1974. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 966
- total births
- 1953–1994
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 46%
- born in that decade
Shelita sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 966 recorded since 1953.
Social Security Administration records show Shelita recorded 966 times among girls since 1953, 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 1953 to 1994.
- 966 total births
- 1953–1994 years on record
- 1970s peak decade
- 46% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
966 girls have been named Shelita since 1953, peaking in the 1970s, last recorded in 1994.
- 966
- total births
- 1953–1994
- years on record
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 46%
- born in that decade
1970s
Peak decade
46% of everyone ever named Shelita was born in this single decade.
1974
Single peak year
56 babies were named Shelita in 1974 - its busiest year on record.
Shelita's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shelita's full recorded timeline at 1974, 54% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 46% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1955, with just 6 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1974 peak of 56 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shelita at a glance
Last recorded 1994Peak year
1974
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1953
Shelita popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1953–1994
- Peak year (1974)
- 56
- Annual births at peak, across 42 years of records
Shelita by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Shelita's strongest decade.
440 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 46% of all-time use.
Shelita births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 47
1950s
47 births
- 1960s
1960s
223 births
- 1970s
1970s
440 births
- 1980s
1980s
210 births
- 1990s 46
1990s
46 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 440 births (46% of all-time use).
How Shelita 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 Shelita's total volume
Shelita vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shelita by state
Where Shelita concentrates geographically, total births since 1953
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Louisiana | | 377 | 39.0% |
| #2 | Illinois | | 11 | 1.1% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 10 | 1.0% |
| #4 | Texas | | 5 | 0.5% |
Louisiana share of Shelita's total US births 39.0%
Even split
377 of 966 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelita? ▼
Since 1953, Social Security records show 966 babies named Shelita. The most recent recorded year was 1994. Its busiest year on record was 1974, with 56 births.
When was Shelita most popular? ▼
Shelita was most popular in the 1970s decade with 440 total births. The single peak year was 1974.
Where is Shelita most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shelita are Louisiana (377 births), Illinois (11 births), North Carolina (10 births).
How long has the name Shelita been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shelita since 1953 -- 42 years through the most recent 1994 data.
What names are similar to Shelita? ▼
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 Shelita's data
- Shelita's decade-level peak was the 1970s (440 total births); usage has since declined to 46 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Louisiana records the most Shelitas (377 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Louisiana 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 Shelita
Nearby Names Like Shelita
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelita
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 Shelita side by side: Shelita vs Sheila Shelita vs Sherry Shelita vs Shelby
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Data Sources
Data as of July 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, 1953–1994 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shelita: Baby Name Since 1953 - 966 Births, Peak 1974." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shelita. 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 Shelita 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 July 2026.