Shelly
Meaningclearing on a ledge · English
- US rank
- #5,722
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #89 in 1966
21 babies were named Shelly in the US in 2025. It has dropped 719 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1916–2025
US births per million boys, 1882–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Shelly you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 76,336 baby girls born in the US in 2025 was named Shelly, 21 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Shelly would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryShelly first shows up in US birth records in 1882, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 143 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1966, when it ranked #89. Today it's #5,722, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowShelly was 6.2× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 12,361 baby girls; in 2025, about 1 in 76,336.
- TrendShelly has slipped 719 places over the last five years and now sits at #5,722. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn English, Shelly means “clearing on a ledge”. Our records link it to English and French roots.
About the name Shelly
Shelly is a girl name of English and French origin meaning “clearing on a ledge”. It has 6 letters and 2 syllables, starting with S and ending in “-lly”. US birth records list Shelly for girls from 1916 to 2025, in 103 of those 110 years. Its best year was 1966, when it ranked #89 among girl names. In 2025 it ranked #5,722, with 21 babies.
Origin:English namesFrench names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1.2 | 833,333 girls |
| 1920s | 3.9 | 255,102 girls |
| 1930s | 18 | 55,188 girls |
| 1940s | 50 | 20,056 girls |
| 1950s | 448 | 2,233 girls |
| 1960s | 1,974 | 506 girls |
| 1970s | 1,646 | 608 girls |
| 1980s | 535 | 1,869 girls |
| 1990s | 150 | 6,646 girls |
| 2000s | 56 | 17,873 girls |
| 2010s | 24 | 41,511 girls |
| 2020s | 16 | 63,158 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 22 | 44,693 boys |
| 1890s | 48 | 20,812 boys |
| 1900s | 38 | 26,553 boys |
| 1910s | 16 | 60,827 boys |
| 1920s | 22 | 45,809 boys |
| 1930s | 23 | 43,592 boys |
| 1940s | 22 | 46,512 boys |
| 1950s | 18 | 55,710 boys |
| 1960s | 19 | 52,521 boys |
| 1970s | 18 | 56,948 boys |
| 1980s | 4.6 | 219,298 boys |
| 1990s | 1.7 | 578,035 boys |
| 2000s | 0.6 | 1,600,000 boys |
Other spellings of Shelly
More English girl names
- Girl name: Olivia · olive tree
- Girl name: Charlotte · free
- Unisex name: Harper · harp player
- Girl name: Elizabeth · God is my oath
- Girl name: Lily · lily flower
- Girl name: Lucy · light
- Girl name: Lainey · possibly light
- Girl name: Scarlett · scarlet red
Questions about the name Shelly
What does the name Shelly mean?
Shelly means “clearing on a ledge” in English.
What is the origin of the name Shelly?
Shelly has English, French roots in our records. Other English names include Olivia, Charlotte, Harper.
Is Shelly a boy or girl name?
Shelly is a girl name.
How popular is the name Shelly?
Shelly ranked #5,722 for US girls in 2025, given to 21 babies. Its best year was 1966 (#89).