Shelton
Boy nameShelton has been given to 12,145 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1972. In 2025, about 1 in 81,337 boys was named Shelton.
Meaning & origin /ˈʃɛltən/
From Old English scylfe (“deck, shelf”) +‎ tun (“town”). Doublet of Skelton.
Origin: surnames
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025
Total babies
12,145
Peak year
1972 (185 babies)
Rank in 2025
Below top 1000
First recorded
1880
10-year trend
▼ -66%
Gender split
1% girls / 99% boys
Rank through the decades
Shelton's rank among U.S. boy names at 25-year milestones.
| Year | Boys rank |
|---|---|
| 1925 | #722 |
| 1950 | #620 |
| 1975 | #624 |
— means outside the top 1000 that year.
Spellings & variants
Names one letter away from Shelton — alternate spellings parents actually use.
Famous people named Shelton
Shelton Benjamin
American professional wrestler
Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).
Names with a similar vibe
Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Shelton.
FAQ
How popular is the name Shelton?
Shelton has been given to 12,145 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It ranked below the top 1000 in 2025.
When did the name Shelton peak?
Shelton peaked in 1972, when 185 babies were given the name.
Is Shelton a girl or boy name?
Shelton is primarily a boy name (99% of babies named Shelton are boys).
Get new name insights first
Occasional updates when we add new data & tools. No spam, unsubscribe anytime by replying to any email or writing to hello@zalize.com.
By subscribing you agree to our privacy policy. We store only your email address and the date you signed up.