Total births
11,973
Boys' name · since 1880
Shelton
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 11,973 babies named Shelton, peaking in 1972. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4707
- among boys today
- 11,973
- born since 1880
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 67%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Shelton is the #4707 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 11,973 recorded since 1880.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shelton has been recorded 11,973 times among boys since 1880, currently ranked #4707 nationally and more common than 67% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 1970s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #4707 among boys today
- 11,973 born since 1880
- 1970s peak decade
- 67% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shelton is currently the #4707 boys' name in America, more common than 67% of boys - 11,973 born since 1880, peaking in the 1970s.
- #4707
- among boys today
- 11,973
- born since 1880
- 1970s
- peak decade
- 67%
- more common than other boys
Shelton vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4707
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 67% of names given to boys today.
1970s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Shelton was born in this single decade.
1972
Single peak year
179 babies were named Shelton in 1972 - its busiest year on record.
How Shelton compares
11,973 Top 7% higher than 93% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Shelton's all-time total is 33x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shelton | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 11,973 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 179 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shelton's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shelton's full recorded timeline at 1955, 66% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 34% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1888, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1972 peak of 179 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shelton at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1972
Current rank
#4,707
Active since
1880
Shelton popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1972)
- 179
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Shelton popularity over time - girls
172 total births recorded since 1943 (Shelton as girls' name)
Shelton by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1970s was Shelton's strongest decade.
1,511 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Shelton births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 61
1880s
61 births
- 1890s 55
1890s
55 births
- 1900s 103
1900s
103 births
- 1910s 478
1910s
478 births
- 1920s
1920s
777 births
- 1930s
1930s
834 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,107 births
- 1950s
1950s
1,361 births
- 1960s
1960s
1,483 births
- 1970s
1970s
1,511 births
- 1980s
1980s
1,246 births
- 1990s
1990s
1,358 births
- 2000s
2000s
934 births
- 2010s 513
2010s
513 births
- 2020s 152
2020s
152 births
What this shows Peak: 1970s at 1,511 births (13% of all-time use).
How Shelton compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Shelton's total volume
Shelton vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Shelton by state
Where Shelton concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 1,613 | 13.5% |
| #2 | Louisiana | | 1,081 | 9.0% |
| #3 | Texas | | 770 | 6.4% |
| #4 | Florida | | 585 | 4.9% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 566 | 4.7% |
| #6 | Mississippi | | 553 | 4.6% |
| #7 | Virginia | | 551 | 4.6% |
| #8 | South Carolina | | 339 | 2.8% |
North Carolina share of Shelton's total US births 13.5%
Even split
1,613 of 11,973 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 24 reporting states.
Shelton appears in 24 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelton? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 11,973 babies named Shelton. Today it holds rank #4707 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1972, with 179 births.
When was Shelton most popular? ▼
Shelton was most popular in the 1970s decade with 1,511 total births. The single peak year was 1972.
Where is Shelton most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shelton are North Carolina (1,613 births), Louisiana (1,081 births), Texas (770 births).
How long has the name Shelton been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shelton since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Shelton? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sherman, Sheldon, Shelby, Shea, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Shelton's data
- Shelton's decade-level peak was the 1970s (1,511 total births); usage has since declined to 152 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Sheltons (1,613 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. North Carolina 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 Shelton
Nearby Names Like Shelton
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelton
Sherman Boy
#4701 39,190 births
Sheldon Boy
#1940 36,676 births
Shelby Boy
#2595 16,449 births
Shea Boy
#1497 8,537 births
Shepherd Boy
#310 7,785 births
Compare Shelton side by side: Shelton vs Sherman Shelton vs Sheldon Shelton vs Shelby
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shelton
Eber #4706
1,328 births · Peak 2007
Delmar #4708
14,242 births · Peak 1931
Rolland #4705
9,868 births · Peak 1928
Stanton #4709
6,738 births · Peak 1954
Aloysius #4704
5,724 births · Peak 1916
Cleo #4710
11,527 births · Peak 1918
Rollin #4703
5,771 births · Peak 1925
Manning #4711
1,840 births · Peak 1916
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shelton: #4707 Boys' Name - 11,973 Births, Peak 1972." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shelton. 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 Shelton 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 June 2026.