Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1950

Shela

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Shela
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1950
44 babies
All-time total
1,398
#5,973 all-time among girls
First recorded
1935
in Social Security records

Shela popularity over time

1,398 babies have been named Shela since 1935, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.010.020.020.0318801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1950Girls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – –
1890s – – – –
1900s – – – –
1910s – – – –
1920s – – – –
1930s 28 3 – #3,749
1940s 184 18 +557% #1,801
1950s 328 33 +78% #1,393
1960s 337 34 +3% #1,846
1970s 183 18 -46% #2,509
1980s 166 17 -9% #3,033
1990s 136 14 -18% #4,627
2000s 36 4 -74% #10,893
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Shela

Shela is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1935, 1,398 American babies have been named Shela. Its peak came in 1950, when 44 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1950s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Shela stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shela?

The median living Shela is about 59 years old; half are between 42 and 69. An estimated 1,200 people named Shela are alive in the United States today.

median 59 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Shela year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 5 #20,111
2006 – –
2005 5 #18,755
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 9 #10,972
2001 9 #10,893
2000 8 #11,629
1995 11 #8,003
1990 17 #5,504
1985 18 #4,428
1980 – –
1975 21 #3,383
1970 30 #2,509
1965 39 #1,846
1960 29 #2,187
1955 27 #2,098
1950 44 #1,393
1945 13 #2,577
1940 10 #2,930
1935 5 #4,806
1930 – –
1925 – –
1920 – –
1915 – –
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 – –
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 – –
1880 – –

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Shela, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Shela?

The median living Shela is about 59 years old. Half of all living Shelas are between 42 and 69 years old.

How many people named Shela are alive today?

An estimated 1,200 people named Shela are alive in the United States, based on 1,398 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Shela in 2025?

Shela did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Shela?

1,398 babies have been named Shela in the United States since 1935, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shela most popular?

Shela peaked in 1950, when 44 newborns received the name.

Is Shela a boy or girl name?

Shela is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Shela rising or falling?

Shela has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Shela

Names that sound and feel close to Shela: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Shela with similar names → More names starting with S →