Shelagh: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

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	–	–	–	–
1940s	36	4	–	#3,975
1950s	114	11	+217%	#2,115
1960s	178	18	+56%	#2,664
1970s	80	8	-55%	#4,497
1980s	64	6	-20%	#7,190
1990s	38	4	-41%	#8,409
2000s	–	–	–	–
2010s	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

1940s

–

#3,975

1950s

114

+217%

#2,115

1960s

178

+56%

#2,664

1970s

-55%

#4,497

1980s

-20%

#7,190

1990s

-41%

#8,409

2000s

–

2010s

–

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Shelagh

Shelagh 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 1942, 510 American babies have been named Shelagh. Its peak came in 1950, when 22 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 Shelagh stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shelagh?

The median living Shelagh is about 58 years old; half are between 47 and 66. An estimated 500 people named Shelagh are alive in the United States today.

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

Shelagh 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	–	–
2006	–	–
2005	–	–
2004	–	–
2003	–	–
2002	–	–
2001	–	–
2000	–	–
1995	–	–
1990	10	#8,409
1985	8	#8,193
1980	6	#10,165
1975	–	–
1970	8	#6,267
1965	16	#3,241
1960	9	#4,724
1955	15	#3,077
1950	22	#2,115
1945	6	#4,477
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shelagh?

The median living Shelagh is about 58 years old. Half of all living Shelaghs are between 47 and 66 years old.

How many people named Shelagh are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Shelagh are alive in the United States, based on 510 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Shelagh mean?

Ultimately an Anglicization of Irish Síle.

How popular is the name Shelagh in 2025?

Shelagh 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 Shelagh?

510 babies have been named Shelagh in the United States since 1942, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shelagh most popular?

Shelagh peaked in 1950, when 22 newborns received the name.

Is Shelagh a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Shelagh rising or falling?

Shelagh has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Shelagh

Shelagh popularity over time

The story of Shelagh

How old are people named Shelagh?

Shelagh year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Shelagh