Shelah is a name of Hebrew origin, derived from the word "shalosh," which means "three." It was popularized by American playwright Israel Zangwill's novel "The Melting Pot," where he introduced the character Shelah Levine, a young Jewish woman from Russia who immigrates to America. The name Shelah is often associated with the biblical figure of the same name, a daughter of Haran and sister to Abraham in the Book of Genesis.
"The name Shelah experienced fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a significant rise from 1948 to 1957, peaking at 14 births in 1957. After that period, it maintained moderate popularity, with annual births ranging between 5 and 13, until a decline began around 1985. The total number of births over this period is 510."