Shelly
How to say it: SHEL-ee · /ˈʃɛli/
Diminutive of Shelley (Old English: 'clearing on a ledge') or of Michelle/Rachel; also used independently.
Shelly was the 4,484th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 21 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1960s, its births are down about 48% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #5,104 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #4,484 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 21 |
| Share of births | 1 in 157,873 |
| Peak decade | 1960s |
| Change over 10 years | −48% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #5,104 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,359 among girls’ names, 15 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Shelly peaked in the 1960s and is less common today.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Shelly is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French, Hebrew.
In France: #1,359 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Shelly
- Shelly Martinez (born 1980)American professional wrestler, professional wrestling valet, model, and actress
- Shelly Cole (born 1975)American actress
- Shelly Stokes (born 1967)American softball player
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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