Girl · #5,273 in 2026

Shelma

Name: Popularity of the name Shelma in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Shelma, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#5,273

Peak Rank

#2,730 (1938)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1937

First Year

1966

Last Year

1938

Peak Year

#2730

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Shelma

Shelma first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1937, with 8 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1938, when 10 Shelmas were born — ranking #2,730 that year. As of 2026, Shelma ranks #5,273 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 77 Shelmas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Shelma

Phonetically similar names — useful when Shelma 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 Shelma

What does the name Shelma mean?

Shelma is a girl's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1937. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Shelma in 2026?

In 2026, Shelma ranks #5,273 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.

When was Shelma most popular?

Shelma reached its peak popularity in 1938, ranking #2,730 that year with 10 babies given the name.

Is Shelma a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Shelma is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Shelma?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Shelma include Myrene, Esterlene, Ommie. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Shelma

Shelma is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1937 and has accumulated 77 births in the dataset. Shelma's peak popularity came in 1938 when it ranked #2,730. Use the chart and map above to compare Shelma'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.