How old is someone named Shelley?
The average Shelley is 59 years old.
Half of all living Shelleys are between 52 and 67.
When was Shelley popular?
Shelley was at its most popular in the mid 1960s. Parents have been moving away from it for decades, and 13 babies were named Shelley in 2025.
Popular names of 1964 · The most popular names of the 1960s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 58 | 0 |
| 1910s | 186 | 0 |
| 1920s | 297 | 0 |
| 1930s | 535 | 110 |
| 1940s | 2,709 | 1,700 |
| 1950s | 18,534 | 14,000 |
| 1960s | 25,089 | 22,000 |
| 1970s | 17,519 | 16,000 |
| 1980s | 6,898 | 6,600 |
| 1990s | 1,788 | 1,800 |
| 2000s | 436 | 430 |
| 2010s | 174 | 170 |
| 2020s | 66 | under 100 |
How many Shelleys are still alive?
About 64,000 Shelleys are alive in the US today. That's 86% of the roughly 74,000 babies named Shelley since 1892.
Most Shelleys ever born are still alive.
What generation is the name Shelley?
About half of living Shelleys are Gen Xers, born between 1965 and 1980.
- Silent under 1%
- Boomer 41%
- Gen X 45%
- Millennial 11%
- Gen Z 1%
Is Shelley an old name?
Yes. Shelley is older than 88 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Is Shelley a boy or girl name?
Mostly girls: 98.7% of living Shelleys are women.
Names the same age as Shelley
NAME TWIN
Shelley's name twin is Cheri. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Cheri's age curve is the closest match to Shelley's: 90% alike.
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Questions about the name Shelley
How old is the average Shelley?
The average Shelley in the US is 59 years old. The median is 59, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Shelley?
About 64,000 Shelleys are alive in the US today, out of roughly 74,000 babies given the name since 1892.
When was the name Shelley most popular?
In 1964, when about 2,800 baby girls were named Shelley.
Is Shelley a Gen X name?
Partly. Gen X are the largest group, about 45% of living Shelleys, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this