Holding steady.
Popularity of Shelda since 1935
Babies named Shelda per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1930s | 69 |
| 1940s | 127 |
| 1950s | 135 |
| 1960s | 147 |
| 1970s | 73 |
| 1980s | 18 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Shelda is a rare and largely modern name that first appeared in U.S. birth records in 1935. It reached its highest recorded usage in 1941, though it never broke into widespread popularity. The name has a stable but vanishingly small trajectory, with fewer than 5 annual births for many decades. Its origins are uncertain but likely derive from the surname Sheldon or as a feminine elaboration. Shelda is a name that reflects a brief mid-century trend of creating melodic variants from established surnames, and it has no strong ties to any particular state or region based on the data.
Shelda is a rare name that first appeared in U.S. records in the 1930s. It is often considered a modern coinage, possibly derived from the surname Sheldon (itself from Old English meaning 'valley with a shelf-like hill') or as a feminine twist on Sheldon. It may also be a variant of Shelda, a short form of names like Sheldonna. The name saw modest use in the 1940s but remains uncommon.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Shel, Shely
Sibling names for Shelda
Names that share Shelda's style, for a brother or sister.
