Shelah: 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	5	1	–	#4,807
1940s	68	7	+1260%	#2,952
1950s	90	9	+32%	#3,280
1960s	107	11	+19%	#3,711
1970s	102	10	-5%	#4,193
1980s	85	9	-17%	#4,848
1990s	48	5	-44%	#7,355
2000s	5	1	-90%	#20,030
2010s	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

#4,807

1940s

+1260%

#2,952

1950s

+32%

#3,280

1960s

107

+19%

#3,711

1970s

102

-5%

#4,193

1980s

-17%

#4,848

1990s

-44%

#7,355

2000s

-90%

#20,030

2010s

–

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Shelah

Shelah 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, 510 American babies have been named Shelah. Its peak came in 1974, when 15 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1970s.

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 Shelah stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Shelah?

The median living Shelah is about 55 years old; half are between 43 and 67. An estimated 400 people named Shelah 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.

Shelah 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	5	#20,030
2007	–	–
2006	–	–
2005	–	–
2004	–	–
2003	–	–
2002	–	–
2001	–	–
2000	–	–
1995	–	–
1990	8	#10,035
1985	5	#12,199
1980	9	#7,307
1975	12	#5,111
1970	10	#5,344
1965	12	#3,919
1960	12	#3,886
1955	13	#3,354
1950	8	#4,262
1945	6	#4,478
1940	7	#3,813
1935	5	#4,807
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shelah?

The median living Shelah is about 55 years old. Half of all living Shelahs are between 43 and 67 years old.

How many people named Shelah are alive today?

An estimated 400 people named Shelah are alive in the United States, based on 510 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Shelah in 2025?

Shelah 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 Shelah?

510 babies have been named Shelah in the United States since 1935, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shelah most popular?

Shelah peaked in 1974, when 15 newborns received the name.

Is Shelah a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Shelah rising or falling?

Shelah has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Shelah

Shelah popularity over time

The story of Shelah

How old are people named Shelah?

Shelah year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Shelah