According to the U.S. baby name data, usage of the name Shelby increased sharply among baby girls (and moderately among baby boys) from 1989 to 1991:
| Girls named Shelby | Boys named Shelby | |
| 1992 | 9,396 [rank: 34th] | 453 [rank: 474th] |
| 1991 | 10,219† [rank: 33rd] | 524† [rank: 427th] |
| 1990 | 3,517 [rank: 100th] | 354 [rank: 525th] |
| 1989 | 1,203 [rank: 229th] | 205 [rank: 694th] |
| 1988 | 881 [rank: 284th] | 184 [rank: 691st] |
That surge of over 6,700 baby girls from 1990 to 1991 was the biggest raw-number increase of the year. (The next-biggest jump was made by Mariah.)
Here’s the popularity graph:
Usage was strongest (relatively speaking) in rural western states. In 1991, Shelby ranked 5th among baby girls in Montana, 6th in Oklahoma and Wyoming, 8th in Kansas, 11th in Nebraska, 12th in both of the Dakotas as well as Alaska, and 13th in Utah.
What made the name Shelby so trendy all of a sudden?
Country singer Shelby Lynne.
(The names Shelbylynn and Shelbylyn both debuted in 1991. Curiously, “Shelbylynne” has never popped up in the data.)
Shelby Lynne was born Shelby Lynn Moorer in 1968. She was raised in Alabama and started putting out music in 1989.
Ten of her singles made Billboard‘s Hot Country Songs chart. The most successful, “Things Are Tough All Over” [vid], peaked at #23 in January of 1991.
Several months later, at the 26th Academy of Country Music Awards, she won the title of “Top New Female Vocalist” over fellow nominees Matraca Berg and Carlene Carter.
In an interview she gave toward the beginning of her career, Shelby Lynne was asked about the origin of her first name, which she described as “a guy’s name.” She answered,
I don’t know. My Daddy came up with it. Driving through Shelby County, I think, at one time or another, going through Birmingham or somewhere down there. Who knows, I’m just glad I got the name. There’s not many of us.
(Alabama is one of nine U.S. states with a Shelby County. All nine of these counties were named in honor of early American soldier and politician Isaac Shelby.)
What are your thoughts on the name Shelby? Do you like it better as a boy name or as a girl name?
P.S. Wondering what gave Shelby a boost during the 1930s?
Sources:
Ahh, I would have guessed it was because of the Julia Roberts character in Steel Magnolias. Shelby Lynne is cool, though — I didn’t know her music at the time (we were not a country music family and none of my friends listened to it back then, either) but I love it now. Her sister is also a good country musician, Allison Moorer.
Oh I bet you’re right — the movie character was probably much more influential than the singer! I’m sorry I missed such an obvious influence. Thank you for letting me know.
Strangely enough, I know the name M’Lynn (Mlynn) debuted in 1990 thanks to Steel Magnolias. And I’m sure I scanned the list of character names back when I discovered that (as I’ve never seen the movie before). But I must not have checked the usage of Shelby at that time, or else I would have made the connection.
I’ll try to rewrite this post within the next few weeks. Thanks again. :)