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.
- #10,816 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 577
- born since 1949
- 1960s
- peak 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.
- #10,816 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 577 born since 1949
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelle ranks #10,816 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 577 born since 1949, peaking in the 1960s.
- #10,816 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 577
- born since 1949
- 1960s
- peak decade
Shelle's 577 recorded births place it above 85.04% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 4 jurisdictions, led by California.
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 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
1960s is the heaviest window (289 births, 50% of the file).
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 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% |
17 of 577 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 4 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelle? ▼
Where does Shelle sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Shelle most popular? ▼
Where is Shelle most popular? ▼
How long has the name Shelle been used? ▼
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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
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
Compare Shelle side by side: Shelle vs Sheila Shelle vs Sherry Shelle 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 Shelle: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1964)
Similar record span (~42 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, 1949–1991 (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 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 August 2026.