Shelley
From Old English, meaning "clearing on a bank".
Every Shelley since 1892 — 74,339 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shelley
Shelley is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #8,280 in 2025 with 13 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1892, 74,339 American babies have been named Shelley. Its peak came in 1964, when 2,845 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 Shelley stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shelley 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 | 13 | #8,280 | — | — |
| 2024 | 11 | #9,470 | — | — |
| 2023 | 9 | #11,051 | — | — |
| 2022 | 7 | #13,381 | — | — |
| 2021 | 11 | #9,457 | — | — |
| 2020 | 15 | #7,520 | — | — |
| 2019 | 12 | #9,038 | — | — |
| 2018 | 12 | #9,074 | — | — |
| 2017 | 12 | #9,269 | — | — |
| 2016 | 17 | #7,193 | — | — |
| 2015 | 13 | #8,877 | — | — |
| 2014 | 21 | #6,181 | — | — |
| 2013 | 16 | #7,698 | — | — |
| 2012 | 17 | #7,415 | — | — |
| 2011 | 26 | #5,338 | — | — |
| 2010 | 28 | #5,086 | — | — |
| 2009 | 30 | #4,914 | — | — |
| 2008 | 36 | #4,345 | — | — |
| 2007 | 35 | #4,370 | — | — |
| 2006 | 40 | #3,845 | — | — |
| 2005 | 38 | #3,863 | — | — |
| 2004 | 42 | #3,560 | — | — |
| 2003 | 42 | #3,459 | — | — |
| 2002 | 39 | #3,519 | — | — |
| 2001 | 60 | #2,565 | 5 | #12,037 |
| 2000 | 69 | #2,274 | — | — |
| 1995 | 155 | #1,138 | 10 | #5,844 |
| 1990 | 298 | #706 | 6 | #7,966 |
| 1985 | 569 | #395 | 9 | #4,640 |
| 1980 | 1,131 | #226 | 16 | #2,937 |
| 1975 | 1,547 | #171 | 24 | #1,992 |
| 1970 | 2,351 | #144 | 28 | #1,651 |
| 1965 | 2,528 | #148 | 19 | #1,851 |
| 1960 | 2,139 | #182 | 15 | #2,194 |
| 1955 | 1,738 | #192 | 26 | #1,533 |
| 1950 | 1,670 | #170 | 32 | #1,286 |
| 1945 | 171 | #562 | 28 | #1,265 |
| 1940 | 63 | #911 | 19 | #1,617 |
| 1935 | 43 | #1,070 | 15 | #1,909 |
| 1930 | 15 | #2,290 | 19 | #1,744 |
| 1925 | 6 | #4,887 | 16 | #2,074 |
| 1920 | 11 | #3,069 | 21 | #1,737 |
| 1915 | 8 | #3,391 | 29 | #1,238 |
| 1910 | — | — | 10 | #1,106 |
| 1905 | — | — | 6 | #1,215 |
| 1900 | — | — | 9 | #962 |
| 1895 | — | — | 7 | #967 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shelley
- Shelley Winters Actor · 1920–2006
- Shelley Duvall Actor · b. 1949
- Shelley Long Actor · b. 1949
- Shelley Hack Actor · b. 1947
- Shelley Morrison Actor · 1936–2019
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shelley mean?
From Old English, meaning "clearing on a bank".
How popular is the name Shelley in 2025?
Shelley ranked #8,280 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 13 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shelley?
74,339 babies have been named Shelley in the United States since 1892, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shelley most popular?
Shelley peaked in 1964, when 2,845 newborns received the name.
Is Shelley a boy or girl name?
Shelley is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Shelley rising or falling?
Shelley is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shelley?
Well-known people named Shelley include Shelley Winters (actor), Shelley Duvall (actor), Shelley Long (actor).