Girl · #8,223 in 2026

Shelba

The salema porgy, also known as the dreamfish, salema, cow bream, karanteen, salpa, saupe, strepie or goldline, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Sarpa. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and southwestern Indian Ocean.

Current Rank
#8,223
Peak Rank
#340 (1937)
Total Babies
2K
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1935
First Year
1982
Last Year
1937
Peak Year
#340
Peak Rank
2K
Total Count
43
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Shelba

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

The salema porgy, also known as the dreamfish, salema, cow bream, karanteen, salpa, saupe, strepie or goldline, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Sarpa. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and southwestern Indian Ocean.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology
The salema porgy has the genus name Sarpa which is the local name for this fish in Genoa . The specific name salpa is a modern Greek rendering of the Ancient Greek salpe or salpes , which dates back at least to Aristotle .

The Story of Shelba

Shelba first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1935, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1937, when 344 Shelbas were born — ranking #340 that year. As of 2026, Shelba ranks #8,223 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 2K Shelbas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
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HI
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Top 10
11-50
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500+
No data

Names that sound like Shelba

Phonetically similar names — useful when Shelba is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Shelba

What does the name Shelba mean?
The salema porgy, also known as the dreamfish, salema, cow bream, karanteen, salpa, saupe, strepie or goldline, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Sarpa. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and southwestern Indian Ocean.
How popular is Shelba in 2026?
In 2026, Shelba ranks #8,223 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.
When was Shelba most popular?
Shelba reached its peak popularity in 1937, ranking #340 that year with 344 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Shelba most popular?
Shelba has historically been most popular in West Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Shelba.
Is Shelba a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Shelba is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Shelba?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Shelba include Era, Lesa, Iola. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Era
Peak #340
👧
Lesa
Peak #340
👧
Iola
Peak #339
👧
Consuelo
Peak #339
👧
Elora
Peak #339
👧
Suzette
Peak #341
👧
Melisa
Peak #341
👧
Kalani
Peak #339

About the name Shelba

Shelba is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1935 and has accumulated 2K births in the dataset. Shelba's peak popularity came in 1937 when it ranked #340. Use the chart and map above to compare Shelba's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

  • Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
  • Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
  • Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
  • Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
  • Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.