Shelby first name popularity, history and meaning

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.

Meaning of Shelby

A diminutive of the name Sheldon, of English origin, meaning "from the flat-topped ridge".

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!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 48 444
2022 41 500
2021 34 555
2020 49 604
2019 29 633
2018 29 737
2017 34 835
2016 38 983
2015 32 1,079
2014 35 1,114
2013 47 1,237
2012 46 1,445
2011 44 1,461
2010 45 1,679
2009 45 1,934
2008 76 2,145
2007 73 2,350
2006 71 2,619
2005 68 2,839
2004 87 2,988
2003 77 3,536
2002 108 3,961
2001 101 4,370
2000 129 4,561
1999 171 5,018
1998 165 5,893
1997 199 6,700
1996 305 7,950
1995 335 7,632
1994 362 7,545
1993 403 8,122
1992 453 9,396
1991 524 10,219
1990 354 3,517
1989 205 1,203
1988 184 881
1987 176 898
1986 172 900
1985 177 885
1984 146 1,042
1983 157 642
1982 125 435
1981 135 512
1980 134 482
1979 144 428
1978 168 483
1977 187 553
1976 176 575
1975 195 746
1974 184 799

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.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Shelby first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/shelby-meaning-and-history/.

"Shelby first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/shelby-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Shelby first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/shelby-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.