Shelvy: 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	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1920s	–	8	8	1	–	–
1930s	150	23	173	17	+2063%	#1,084
1940s	119	17	136	14	-21%	#1,399
1950s	42	5	47	5	-65%	#3,919
1960s	22	5	27	3	-43%	#6,405
1970s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1990s	–	6	6	1	–	–
2000s	–	–	–	–	–	–
2010s	–	–	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–	–	–

Decade

Girls

Boys

Total

Per year

Change

Best rank

1880s

–

1890s

–

1900s

–

1910s

–

1920s

–

1930s

150

173

+2063%

#1,084

1940s

119

136

-21%

#1,399

1950s

-65%

#3,919

1960s

-43%

#6,405

1970s

–

1980s

–

1990s

–

2000s

–

2010s

–

2020s (to 2025)

–

The story of Shelvy

Shelvy 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 1925, 397 American babies have been named Shelvy, about 84% girls and 16% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1937, when 50 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1930s.

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

How old are people named Shelvy?

The median living Shelvy is about 83 years old; half are between 74 and 86. An estimated 200 people named Shelvy 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.

Shelvy 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	–	–	–	–
1965	6	#6,405	–	–
1960	5	#7,147	–	–
1955	10	#4,012	–	–
1950	9	#3,919	5	#4,126
1945	7	#3,972	–	–
1940	30	#1,399	6	#3,418
1935	–	–	–	–
1930	–	–	–	–
1925	–	–	8	#3,366
1920	–	–	–	–
1915	–	–	–	–
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Shelvy?

The median living Shelvy is about 83 years old. Half of all living Shelvys are between 74 and 86 years old.

How many people named Shelvy are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Shelvy are alive in the United States, based on 397 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Shelvy in 2025?

Shelvy 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 Shelvy?

397 babies have been named Shelvy in the United States since 1925, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Shelvy most popular?

Shelvy peaked in 1937, when 50 newborns received the name.

Is Shelvy a boy or girl name?

Shelvy is used for both: about 84% of babies named Shelvy have been girls and 16% boys.

Is the name Shelvy rising or falling?

Shelvy has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Shelvy

Shelvy popularity over time

The story of Shelvy

How old are people named Shelvy?

Shelvy year by year

Frequently asked questions

Names like Shelvy