Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1963

Shell

Meaning A diminutive of the female given name Michelle or Shelly Gender Unisex · 64% girls Rank 2025 Below top lists

A diminutive of the female given name Michelle or Shelly.

Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Shell
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1963
31 babies
All-time total
311
#16,404 all-time among girls
First recorded
1951
in Social Security records

Shell popularity over time

311 babies have been named Shell since 1951, 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
00.010.010.0118801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s 34 27 61 6 – #4,539
1960s 111 80 191 19 +213% #3,242
1970s 38 6 44 4 -77% #5,068
1980s 15 – 15 2 -66% #11,755
1990s – – – – – –
2000s – – – – – –
2010s – – – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – – – –

The story of Shell

Shell 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 1951, 311 American babies have been named Shell, about 64% girls and 36% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1963, when 31 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1960s.

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

How old are people named Shell?

The median living Shell is about 61 years old; half are between 57 and 64. An estimated 300 people named Shell are alive in the United States today.

median 61 020406080100

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

Shell year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys 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 – – – –
1985 – – – –
1980 – – – –
1975 – – – –
1970 8 #6,269 – –
1965 16 #3,242 12 #2,452
1960 12 #3,887 11 #2,664
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shell?

The median living Shell is about 61 years old. Half of all living Shells are between 57 and 64 years old.

How many people named Shell are alive today?

An estimated 300 people named Shell are alive in the United States, based on 311 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Shell mean?

A diminutive of the female given name Michelle or Shelly.

How popular is the name Shell in 2025?

Shell 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 Shell?

311 babies have been named Shell in the United States since 1951, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shell most popular?

Shell peaked in 1963, when 31 newborns received the name.

Is Shell a boy or girl name?

Shell is used for both: about 64% of babies named Shell have been girls and 36% boys.

Is the name Shell rising or falling?

Shell has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Names like Shell

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

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