Girls' name · since 1950
Shellye
Since 1950, U.S. Social Security records show 174 babies named Shellye, peaking in 1965. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #21,287 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 174
- born since 1950
- 1960s
- peak decade
Shellye sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 174 recorded since 1950.
Social Security Administration records show Shellye recorded 174 times among girls since 1950, 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 1950 to 1983.
- #21,287 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 174 born since 1950
- 1960s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shellye ranks #21,287 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 174 born since 1950, peaking in the 1960s.
- #21,287 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 174
- born since 1950
- 1960s
- peak decade
Shellye's 174 recorded births place it above 70.55% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 1 jurisdictions, led by Texas.
Shellye's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shellye splits its recorded history at 1966: 51% of all births land in the more recent half, 49% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1973 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1965 peak of 13 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shellye popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1950–1983
- Peak year (1965)
- 13
- Annual births at peak, across 34 years of records
Shellye by decade
1960s is the heaviest window (91 births, 52% of the file).
1960s was Shellye's strongest decade.
91 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 52% of all-time use.
Shellye births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1950s 25
1950s
25 births
- 1960s
1960s
91 births
- 1970s
1970s
51 births
- 1980s 7
1980s
7 births
What this shows Peak: 1960s at 91 births (52% of all-time use).
Shellye by state
Where Shellye concentrates geographically, total births since 1950
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 11 | 6.3% |
11 of 174 births nationwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shellye? ▼
Where does Shellye sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Shellye most popular? ▼
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How long has the name Shellye been used? ▼
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What to do with Shellye's data
- Shellye's decade-level peak was the 1960s (91 total births); usage has since declined to 7 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Texas records the most Shellyes (11 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shellye
Nearby Names Like Shellye
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shellye
Compare Shellye side by side: Shellye vs Sheila Shellye vs Sherry Shellye 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 Shellye: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1965)
Similar record span (~33 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, 1950–1983 (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 Shellye 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.