Baby Name Popularity Profile

Shelby

Data-driven SSA statistics, rankings, and historical trends for Shelby.

✦ From the willow farm 🌍 English traditional nature
National Rank (2025) #649
All-Time Peak Rank #33 Achieved 1991
Total U.S. Births 148,830 since 1880
Unisex Distribution 3.6% Boy / 96.4% Girl Overwhelmingly Female
First Recorded 1913 Last seen: 2025
Peak Decade 1990s 10,220 births in 1991
💡 The Shelby Vibe: Considered a Declining Classic. A previously dominant name currently experiencing a prolonged generational cooling period.

🌍 Meaning & Etymology

Primary Meaning From the willow farm
Language Origin English
Origin Type single
Derived from an Old English place name, likely meaning 'willow farm' or 'estate on a shelf/slope'.
Common Nicknames
Shel Bee
Alternative Spellings
Shelbie
Pronunciation: SHEL-bee
Themes & Categories
traditional nature
Etymology confidence: High

📖 The Story Behind Shelby

According to SSA data, Shelby achieved its highest historical rank of #33 in 1991. Its highest annual registration volume occurred in 1991 with 10,220 babies. Between 2015 and 2025, modern registrations have decreased by 58.9%. Overall, the name has maintained a ranked presence for 95 consecutive years.

📊 Factual Timeline & Current Trajectory (1880 – 2025)

Registration footprint of Shelby across 145 years of SSA data.

5-Year Trajectory Declining
10-Year Shift -58.9% Decline
18801920196020002025

📈 Popularity Milestones & Volatility

Busiest Year on Record 10,220 births in 1991
Years in Top 100 14 yrs
Years in Top 500 67 yrs
Registry Streak 95 yrs
Historical Volatility Highly Volatile
Largest 1-Year Jump N/A
Decade-by-Decade Registration Volumes
1880s: 0
1890s: 0
1900s: 0
1910s: 46
1920s: 95
1930s: 6,077
1940s: 4,895
1950s: 3,075
1960s: 3,267
1970s: 5,970
1980s: 7,881
1990s: 71,995
2000s: 31,310
2010s: 11,216
2020s: 3,003

📐 Sound & Spelling Structure

Phonetic Syllables She-lby
Letter Count 6 letters
Spelling Complexity Moderate
Length Percentile Longer than 25.7% of names
Linguistic Profile: It is an isogram, meaning no two letters are repeated. Longer than 25.7% of SSA names. Starts with S, a letter used by only 7.9% of SSA names.

🛠️ Sibling & Surname Cadence Tool

Enter a surname or sibling name to test how it pairs with Shelby.

📍 Authentic State & Regional Rankings

Highest Ranking State Tennessee
Top States Tennessee, Kentucky, Alaska, Wyoming, Nevada
States with Data 51
State 2025 Rank Total Births Peak Year 5-Yr Velocity
Tennessee #294 6,209 1995 Insufficient historical volume
Kentucky #381 4,991 1998 Insufficient historical volume
Alaska Unranked 376 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Wyoming Unranked 357 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Nevada Unranked 862 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Oklahoma #614 3,130 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Indiana #801 5,245 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Idaho Unranked 872 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Alabama #344 4,044 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Utah #405 1,779 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Arkansas #485 2,332 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Missouri Unranked 4,567 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Oregon Unranked 1,857 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Montana Unranked 618 1991 Insufficient historical volume
North Carolina #403 5,810 1937 9.7% Decline
Kansas #569 2,108 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Arizona #628 2,431 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Florida #763 6,793 1991 24.1% Decline
Virginia #517 4,455 1937 Insufficient historical volume
Colorado Unranked 2,316 1991 Insufficient historical volume
West Virginia #177 1,763 1937 Insufficient historical volume
Georgia #642 5,287 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Washington #673 3,015 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Mississippi Unranked 2,365 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Nebraska Unranked 1,368 1991 Insufficient historical volume
South Carolina #610 2,671 1937 Insufficient historical volume
Iowa Unranked 2,386 1991 Insufficient historical volume
South Dakota Unranked 608 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Texas #631 13,480 1991 35.9% Decline
North Dakota Unranked 564 1991 Insufficient historical volume
New Mexico Unranked 865 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Louisiana Unranked 2,840 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Michigan #686 5,933 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Vermont Unranked 248 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Maryland Unranked 2,108 1992 Insufficient historical volume
Ohio #1119 6,377 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Hawaii Unranked 421 1993 Insufficient historical volume
Minnesota #722 2,424 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Delaware Unranked 254 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Maine Unranked 545 1992 Insufficient historical volume
New Hampshire Unranked 367 1993 Insufficient historical volume
California #854 10,734 1991 40.7% Decline
Wisconsin #601 2,093 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Illinois #1104 4,591 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Pennsylvania #451 4,602 1991 4.0% Decline
Connecticut Unranked 876 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Massachusetts #754 1,337 1992 Insufficient historical volume
New York #972 3,499 1991 Insufficient historical volume
New Jersey #927 1,244 1991 Insufficient historical volume
Rhode Island Unranked 156 1994 Insufficient historical volume
District of Columbia Unranked 139 1992 Insufficient historical volume

👨‍👩‍👧 Sibling Name Suggestions

👦 Brother Suggestions
Morgan Trevor Taylor Armando Ariel Roberto Julio Austin Jordan Dawson
👧 Sister Suggestions
Jordan Thalia Alexis Marina Briana Imani Tiana Miranda Marisol Kiana

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