Shelly Name Meaning, Popularity and Origins
Origin:
English
Gender Distribution:
3% Masculine / 97% Feminine
Meaning:
Shelly means 'shelf-like' or 'from the ledge'.
Meaning of the Name Shelly
Shelly is a variant spelling of the name Shelley, which originated as a surname derived from the Old English word 'scylf' meaning 'shelf' or 'ledge'. It was commonly used to refer to people who lived near a ledge or shelf-like feature. As a given name, Shelly became popular in the 20th century and is commonly used as a feminine name. It can also be used as a diminutive form of the name Michelle or Sheldon.
Popularity of the Name Shelly
The popularity for the name Shelly peaked in popularity in the year 1964 with 4,081 births, which ranked number 194 out of 11,213 unique names for that year. Shelly had the most female births in 1964 with 4,081, which ranked number 101 out of 7,804 female names for that year, and had the most male births in 1950 with 55, which ranked number 926 out of 4,195 male names for that year. The number of births for the name Shelly has declined sharply over the last ten years from 52 births to 28 births, a decline of -46.15%. Among females, Shelly has declined sharply in popularity over the last ten years from 52 births to 28 births, a decline of -46.15%.
Nationwide Popularity of Shelly
- 20 Year Trend of Shelly: -77.24%
- 10 Year Trend of Shelly: -46.15%
- 10 Year Female Trend of Shelly: -46.15%
Popularity of Shelly by State
Among females, Shelly was most popular in Western states with 5 births in the region. It was most commonly used in WA, with 5 female births. See below for a full state by state breakdown of the name Shelly. States with less than five births recorded will not be shown.
| State | Male Births | Male Gender Rank | Female Births | Female Gender Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WA | < 5 | N/A | 5 | 1070 |
2024 Popularity Projections for Shelly
- Total Births of Shelly: 26 (-6.00%)
- Female Births of Shelly: 26 (-6.00%)
Given the downward trend of Shelly over the last 10 years, we expect this to continue in 2024 with roughly a -6.00% decrease in total births, for a total of 26 births in 2024. For Females, births for Shelly have been decreasing over the past 10 years, and we expect roughly 26 female births in 2024, a decrease of -6.00%.