Shellby: 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	–	–	–	–
1950s	–	–	–	–
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–
1980s	18	2	–	#9,397
1990s	294	29	+1533%	#2,780
2000s	146	15	-50%	#5,073
2010s	38	4	-74%	#9,640
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

–

1940s

–

1950s

–

1960s

–

1970s

–

1980s

–

#9,397

1990s

294

+1533%

#2,780

2000s

146

-50%

#5,073

2010s

-74%

#9,640

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Shellby

Shellby 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 1986, 496 American babies have been named Shellby. Its peak came in 1991, when 43 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1990s.

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

How old are people named Shellby?

The median living Shellby is about 28 years old; half are between 22 and 32. An estimated 500 people named Shellby 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.

Shellby 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	5	#18,481
2015	10	#10,756
2014	5	#18,838
2013	–	–
2012	–	–
2011	12	#9,640
2010	6	#16,677
2009	–	–
2008	10	#11,482
2007	6	#17,296
2006	11	#10,506
2005	13	#8,798
2004	22	#5,725
2003	25	#5,073
2002	17	#6,650
2001	21	#5,543
2000	21	#5,467
1995	29	#3,764
1990	19	#5,033
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	–	–
1945	–	–
1940	–	–
1935	–	–
1930	–	–
1925	–	–
1920	–	–
1915	–	–
1910	–	–
1905	–	–
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shellby?

The median living Shellby is about 28 years old. Half of all living Shellbys are between 22 and 32 years old.

How many people named Shellby are alive today?

An estimated 500 people named Shellby are alive in the United States, based on 496 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Shellby mean?

Spelling variant of Shelby.

How popular is the name Shellby in 2025?

Shellby 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 Shellby?

496 babies have been named Shellby in the United States since 1986, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shellby most popular?

Shellby peaked in 1991, when 43 newborns received the name.

Is Shellby a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Shellby rising or falling?

Shellby is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Shellby

Shellby popularity over time

The story of Shellby

How old are people named Shellby?

Shellby year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Shellby