Holding steady.
Popularity of Sheletha since 1963
Babies named Sheletha per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 28 |
| 1970s | 67 |
| 1980s | 33 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Sheletha is a rare American name that first appeared in Social Security records in 1963, suggesting it was coined around that time. It saw its highest usage in 1974, which stands as its peak year, though it never entered the top 1000 names. As of 2025, the name's usage remains stable at a very low frequency, with fewer than five births per year. Its trajectory is flat, indicating little change in its already sparse popularity. The name's origins are unclear, but it fits a pattern of creative respellings and sound-based coinages from the mid-20th century, particularly within African American naming traditions.
Sheletha appears to be a modern American coinage, likely influenced by names like Shelena, Sheleah, or similar invented names popular in the mid-20th century. Its exact derivation is uncertain, but it fits a pattern of creative respellings and sound-based name formation common in the United States during the 1960s and 1970s. The name has never ranked in the top 1000 U.S. names.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Shelly, Shely, Letha
Sibling names for Sheletha
Names that share Sheletha's style, for a brother or sister.
