Girls' name · since 1937
Shelma
Since 1937, U.S. Social Security records show 77 babies named Shelma, peaking in 1938. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #30,095 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 77
- born since 1937
- 1940s
- peak decade
77 girls have been named Shelma since 1937, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Shelma recorded 77 times among girls since 1937, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1940s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1937 to 1966.
- #30,095 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 77 born since 1937
- 1940s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelma ranks #30,095 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 77 born since 1937, peaking in the 1940s.
- #30,095 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 77
- born since 1937
- 1940s
- peak decade
Shelma's 77 recorded births place it above 58.36% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Shelma's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shelma's full recorded timeline at 1947, 42% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 58% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1945, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1938 peak of 10 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shelma popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1937–1966
- Peak year (1938)
- 10
- Annual births at peak, across 30 years of records
Shelma by decade
1940s is the heaviest window (28 births, 36% of the file).
1940s was Shelma's strongest decade.
28 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 36% of all-time use.
Shelma births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s
1930s
27 births
- 1940s
1940s
28 births
- 1950s 10
1950s
10 births
- 1960s
1960s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 1940s at 28 births (36% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelma? ▼
Where does Shelma sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Shelma most popular? ▼
How long has the name Shelma been used? ▼
What names are similar to Shelma? ▼
What to do with Shelma's data
- Shelma's usage has stayed within range of its 1940s decade-level peak (28 total births) through the 1960s (12) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shelma
Nearby Names Like Shelma
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelma
Compare Shelma side by side: Shelma vs Sheila Shelma vs Sherry Shelma 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 Shelma: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1938)
Similar record span (~29 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, 1937–1966 (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 Shelma 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.