Total births
400
Girls' name · since 1936
Shelvia
400 babies named Shelvia in U.S. Social Security records since 1936, with the highest year being 1937. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- 400
- total births
- 1936–1981
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that decade
400 girls have been named Shelvia since 1936, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
Social Security Administration records show Shelvia recorded 400 times among girls since 1936, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 1930s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1936 to 1981.
- 400 total births
- 1936–1981 years on record
- 1930s peak decade
- 45% born in that decade
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
400 girls have been named Shelvia since 1936, peaking in the 1930s, last recorded in 1981.
- 400
- total births
- 1936–1981
- years on record
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 45%
- born in that decade
1930s
Peak decade
45% of everyone ever named Shelvia was born in this single decade.
1937
Single peak year
63 babies were named Shelvia in 1937 - its busiest year on record.
Shelvia's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Shelvia's full recorded timeline at 1949, 21% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 79% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 1962, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1937 peak of 63 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Shelvia at a glance
Last recorded 1981Peak year
1937
Current rank
Unranked
Active since
1936
Shelvia popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1936–1981
- Peak year (1937)
- 63
- Annual births at peak, across 46 years of records
Shelvia by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1930s was Shelvia's strongest decade.
179 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 45% of all-time use.
Shelvia births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1930s
1930s
179 births
- 1940s
1940s
145 births
- 1950s 36
1950s
36 births
- 1960s 29
1960s
29 births
- 1980s 11
1980s
11 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 179 births (45% of all-time use).
Shelvia by state
Where Shelvia concentrates geographically, total births since 1936
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | North Carolina | | 51 | 12.8% |
| #2 | West Virginia | | 28 | 7.0% |
| #3 | Georgia | | 23 | 5.8% |
| #4 | South Carolina | | 19 | 4.8% |
| #5 | Virginia | | 16 | 4.0% |
| #6 | Kentucky | | 5 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 1.3% |
| #8 | Tennessee | | 5 | 1.3% |
North Carolina share of Shelvia's total US births 12.8%
Even split
51 of 400 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 8 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shelvia? ▼
Since 1936, Social Security records show 400 babies named Shelvia. The most recent recorded year was 1981. Its busiest year on record was 1937, with 63 births.
When was Shelvia most popular? ▼
Shelvia was most popular in the 1930s decade with 179 total births. The single peak year was 1937.
Where is Shelvia most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shelvia are North Carolina (51 births), West Virginia (28 births), Georgia (23 births).
How long has the name Shelvia been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shelvia since 1936 -- 46 years through the most recent 1981 data.
What names are similar to Shelvia? ▼
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 Shelvia's data
- Shelvia's decade-level peak was the 1930s (179 total births); usage has since declined to 11 in the 1980s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- North Carolina records the most Shelvias (51 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 Shelvia
Nearby Names Like Shelvia
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shelvia
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 Shelvia side by side: Shelvia vs Sheila Shelvia vs Sherry Shelvia vs Shelby
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
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, 1936–1981 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shelvia: Baby Name Since 1936 - 400 Births, Peak 1937." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shelvia. 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 Shelvia 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.