Shelby
From a medieval name, of obscure origin, yet likely an alteration of Middle English Selby, Salibi (“dweller of the willow place”), from salwe (“willow, sallow”) + -by…
Every Shelby since 1880 — 165,279 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shelby
Shelby is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #649 in 2025 with 444 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 165,279 American babies have been named Shelby — about 90% girls and 10% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1991, when 10,744 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 Shelby stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shelby 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 | 444 | #649 | 41 | #3,032 |
| 2024 | 446 | #658 | 51 | #2,628 |
| 2023 | 448 | #657 | 49 | #2,686 |
| 2022 | 503 | #596 | 41 | #3,047 |
| 2021 | 556 | #550 | 35 | #3,352 |
| 2020 | 606 | #501 | 49 | #2,612 |
| 2019 | 634 | #495 | 29 | #3,785 |
| 2018 | 738 | #425 | 29 | #3,777 |
| 2017 | 836 | #373 | 34 | #3,368 |
| 2016 | 986 | #337 | 39 | #3,051 |
| 2015 | 1,080 | #300 | 32 | #3,501 |
| 2014 | 1,114 | #294 | 35 | #3,209 |
| 2013 | 1,239 | #261 | 47 | #2,592 |
| 2012 | 1,447 | #220 | 46 | #2,671 |
| 2011 | 1,462 | #217 | 44 | #2,736 |
| 2010 | 1,680 | #184 | 46 | #2,673 |
| 2009 | 1,935 | #169 | 45 | #2,744 |
| 2008 | 2,148 | #158 | 76 | #1,915 |
| 2007 | 2,351 | #149 | 73 | #1,943 |
| 2006 | 2,620 | #133 | 71 | #1,917 |
| 2005 | 2,839 | #117 | 68 | #1,884 |
| 2004 | 2,988 | #112 | 87 | #1,540 |
| 2003 | 3,537 | #94 | 77 | #1,642 |
| 2002 | 3,961 | #75 | 108 | #1,265 |
| 2001 | 4,370 | #68 | 101 | #1,304 |
| 2000 | 4,561 | #70 | 129 | #1,095 |
| 1995 | 7,632 | #38 | 335 | #557 |
| 1990 | 3,517 | #100 | 354 | #525 |
| 1985 | 885 | #281 | 177 | #664 |
| 1980 | 482 | #443 | 134 | #760 |
| 1975 | 746 | #308 | 195 | #577 |
| 1970 | 400 | #499 | 159 | #650 |
| 1965 | 274 | #577 | 114 | #696 |
| 1960 | 307 | #560 | 159 | #619 |
| 1955 | 344 | #491 | 151 | #603 |
| 1950 | 248 | #519 | 143 | #569 |
| 1945 | 333 | #388 | 153 | #489 |
| 1940 | 1,006 | #187 | 176 | #437 |
| 1935 | 67 | #848 | 121 | #527 |
| 1930 | — | — | 111 | #570 |
| 1925 | 9 | #3,620 | 128 | #545 |
| 1920 | 10 | #3,312 | 146 | #500 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,859 | 90 | #608 |
| 1910 | — | — | 29 | #534 |
| 1905 | — | — | 18 | #566 |
| 1900 | — | — | 20 | #552 |
| 1895 | — | — | 16 | #524 |
| 1890 | — | — | 11 | #625 |
| 1885 | — | — | 10 | #633 |
| 1880 | — | — | 8 | #738 |
Famous people named Shelby
- Shelby Rogers Tennis player · b. 1992
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shelby mean?
From a medieval name, of obscure origin, yet likely an alteration of Middle English Selby, Salibi (“dweller of the willow place”), from salwe (“willow, sallow”) + -by (“settlement, farm”).
How popular is the name Shelby in 2025?
Shelby ranked #649 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 444 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shelby?
165,279 babies have been named Shelby in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shelby most popular?
Shelby peaked in 1991, when 10,744 newborns received the name.
Is Shelby a boy or girl name?
Shelby is used for both: about 90% of babies named Shelby have been girls and 10% boys.
Is the name Shelby rising or falling?
Shelby is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shelby?
Well-known people named Shelby include Shelby Rogers (tennis player).