Shelley, of Latin origin, is a name that has been widely recognized and used throughout history. It is derived from the word 'shelter,' which evokes images of protection, security, and refuge. This name was initially popularized as a given name by the renowned English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley, who lived during the late 18th to early 19th century. The name Shelley has since gained international recognition and is often associated with creativity and intellect due to its connection to the Romantic period of literature. In recent years, Shelley has been more commonly used as a middle name rather than a first name in many English-speaking countries.
The name Shelley experienced varied popularity over time, with significant peaks and valleys in its usage as a baby girl's name from 1893 to 2001. The most notable peak occurred in 1915 with a striking 29 births, followed by another high point in 1922 with 35 births. Conversely, the popularity of the name Shelley dropped significantly towards the end of the century and into the early 2000s, with some years recording fewer than 10 births each, such as 1986 (5 births) and 1991 (5 births). Overall, there were a total of 1753 births recorded for the name Shelley during this period.