Shelly
Every Shelly since 1882 — 86,610 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shelly
Shelly is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #5,884 in 2025 with 21 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1882, 86,610 American babies have been named Shelly. Its peak came in 1964, when 4,127 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 Shelly stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shelly 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 | 21 | #5,884 | — | — |
| 2024 | 30 | #4,650 | — | — |
| 2023 | 20 | #6,130 | — | — |
| 2022 | 28 | #4,889 | — | — |
| 2021 | 30 | #4,594 | — | — |
| 2020 | 25 | #5,147 | — | — |
| 2019 | 29 | #4,758 | — | — |
| 2018 | 29 | #4,757 | — | — |
| 2017 | 34 | #4,296 | — | — |
| 2016 | 36 | #4,147 | — | — |
| 2015 | 45 | #3,522 | — | — |
| 2014 | 50 | #3,266 | — | — |
| 2013 | 52 | #3,161 | — | — |
| 2012 | 52 | #3,203 | — | — |
| 2011 | 39 | #3,904 | — | — |
| 2010 | 57 | #3,006 | — | — |
| 2009 | 80 | #2,419 | — | — |
| 2008 | 69 | #2,683 | — | — |
| 2007 | 73 | #2,566 | 5 | #14,072 |
| 2006 | 89 | #2,181 | — | — |
| 2005 | 109 | #1,799 | — | — |
| 2004 | 100 | #1,891 | — | — |
| 2003 | 114 | #1,685 | — | — |
| 2002 | 123 | #1,547 | — | — |
| 2001 | 125 | #1,505 | 5 | #12,038 |
| 2000 | 147 | #1,304 | — | — |
| 1995 | 240 | #821 | — | — |
| 1990 | 413 | #565 | 8 | #6,327 |
| 1985 | 885 | #282 | 6 | #6,412 |
| 1980 | 1,451 | #186 | 12 | #3,583 |
| 1975 | 2,484 | #113 | 27 | #1,822 |
| 1970 | 3,751 | #103 | 38 | #1,370 |
| 1965 | 3,850 | #98 | 44 | #1,141 |
| 1960 | 2,692 | #157 | 39 | #1,267 |
| 1955 | 786 | #306 | 20 | #1,780 |
| 1950 | 333 | #441 | 55 | #932 |
| 1945 | 74 | #880 | 36 | #1,102 |
| 1940 | 36 | #1,240 | 29 | #1,273 |
| 1935 | 18 | #1,904 | 27 | #1,324 |
| 1930 | 6 | #4,497 | 25 | #1,490 |
| 1925 | — | — | 22 | #1,670 |
| 1920 | — | — | 18 | #1,953 |
| 1915 | — | — | 15 | #1,954 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | 5 | #1,404 |
| 1900 | — | — | 8 | #1,039 |
| 1895 | — | — | 6 | #1,066 |
| 1890 | — | — | 5 | #1,141 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Shelly
- Shelly Manne Musician · 1920–1984
- Shelly Yachimovich Politician · b. 1960
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Shelly in 2025?
Shelly ranked #5,884 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 21 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shelly?
86,610 babies have been named Shelly in the United States since 1882, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shelly most popular?
Shelly peaked in 1964, when 4,127 newborns received the name.
Is Shelly a boy or girl name?
Shelly is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 97% of babies with the name.
Is the name Shelly rising or falling?
Shelly is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shelly?
Well-known people named Shelly include Shelly Manne (musician), Shelly Yachimovich (politician).