Total births
577
Girls' name · since 1949
Shelle
Shelle has 577 recorded births since 1949 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1964 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- 577
- total births
- 1949–1991
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 50%
- born in that decade
577 girls have been named Shelle since 1949, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelle has been recorded 577 times among girls since 1949, 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 1949 to 1991.
- 577 total births
- 1949–1991 years on record
- 1960s peak decade
- 50% born in that decade
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
577 girls have been named Shelle since 1949, peaking in the 1960s, last recorded in 1991.
- 577
- total births
- 1949–1991
- years on record
- 1960s
- peak decade
- 50%
- born in that decade
1960s
Peak decade
50% of everyone ever named Shelle was born in this single decade.
1964
Single peak year
40 babies were named Shelle in 1964 - its busiest year on record.
Shelle's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shelle's SSA record in two at 1968 and the more recent half accounts for 38% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 62%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1978, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1964 peak of 40, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shelle at a glance
Last recorded 1991Peak year
1964
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1949
Shelle popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1949–1991
- Peak year (1964)
- 40
- Annual births at peak, across 43 years of records
Shelle by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1960s was Shelle's strongest decade.
289 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 50% of all-time use.
Shelle births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1940s 7
1940s
7 births
- 1950s 108
1950s
108 births
- 1960s
1960s
289 births
- 1970s
1970s
131 births
- 1980s 36
1980s
36 births
- 1990s 6
1990s
6 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 289 births (50% of all-time use).
How Shelle 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 Shelle's total volume
Shelle vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
Shelle by state
Where Shelle concentrates geographically, total births since 1949
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 17 | 2.9% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 7 | 1.2% |
| #3 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.9% |
| #4 | Texas | | 5 | 0.9% |
California share of Shelle's total US births 2.9%
Even split
17 of 577 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelle? ▼
Shelle has been given to 577 babies in the U.S. since 1949, according to SSA data. Its last appearance in the data was 1991. 40 babies were born in 1964, its single highest year.
When was Shelle most popular? ▼
Shelle was most popular in the 1960s decade with 289 total births. The single peak year was 1964.
Where is Shelle most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shelle are California (17 births), Ohio (7 births), Pennsylvania (5 births).
How long has the name Shelle been used? ▼
Records for Shelle go back to 1949, giving 43 years of history through 1991.
What names are similar to Shelle? ▼
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 Shelle's data
- Shelle's decade-level peak was the 1960s (289 total births); usage has since declined to 6 in the 1990s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- California records the most Shelles (17 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Shelle
Nearby Names Like Shelle
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelle
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 Shelle side by side: Shelle vs Sheila Shelle vs Sherry Shelle 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, 1949–1991 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shelle: Baby Name Since 1949 - 577 Births, Peak 1964." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shelle. 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 Shelle 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.