Find out how popular the first name Shelby has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Shelby by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Shelby is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 95% of people named Shelby being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 444 female babies and 48 male babies born with the name Shelby.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 48 baby boys were named Shelby in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Shelby

Shelby is an English given name with origins that can be traced back to the Old English language. The name is thought to have derived from the Old English words "scielde" meaning "shield" and "burh" meaning "fortified town." These roots suggest that the name Shelby may have originally referred to someone who lived in a fortified or shielded town.

In its earliest recorded usage, the name was more commonly spelled as "Scheldeburi" or "Sheldeburi." It was primarily used as a place name and referred to various locations in England, such as Shelbury in Shropshire and Shelby in Derbyshire. The name's transition from a place name to a personal name likely occurred during the Middle Ages.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Shelby was Sir John Shelby, a prominent English landowner and knight who lived in the 14th century. He was a distinguished military commander and served under King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name Shelby gained popularity among the English gentry and aristocracy. Notable figures from this period include Sir Ralph Shelby (1537-1611), a member of the English Parliament, and Rowland Shelby (1570-1628), a wealthy merchant and landowner.

In the 18th century, the name Shelby became associated with American history. One of the most famous individuals with this name was Isaac Shelby (1750-1826), a Revolutionary War hero and the first Governor of Kentucky. He played a pivotal role in the Battle of King's Mountain and was later elected as the fifth Governor of Kentucky in 1792.

Another notable figure was John Shelby (1758-1826), a cousin of Isaac Shelby and a respected military leader during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. He commanded a regiment of Kentucky volunteers and participated in several crucial battles.

In the 19th century, Shelby became a popular given name in the United States, particularly in the South. One prominent individual with this name was Shelby Cullom (1829-1914), a Republican politician who served as the 16th Governor of Illinois and later as a United States Senator.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Shelby was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shelby, please contact us.

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