Shelby is a given name, a transferred use of the northern English surname. Its meaning is uncertain. It has been in use as a given name, mainly in North America, since the 1700s. Initial usage for boys was probably influenced by

Isaac Shelby Isaac Shelby (December 11, 1750 – July 18, 1826) was an American politician and military officer who was the List of governors of Kentucky, first and fifth Governor of Kentucky and served in the state legislatures of Virginia and North Ca ...

(1750-1826), a United States Revolutionary War commander and later governor of

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

. Usage for girls has been influenced by its use for the character Shelby Barret Wyatt in the 1935 film '' The Woman in Red'' and the character Shelby Eatonten-Latcherie in the 1989 film ''

Steel Magnolias ''Steel Magnolias'' is a 1989 American comedy drama film directed by Herbert Ross and starring Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts. The screenplay by Robert Harling is based on hi ...

''.

People

Men

* Shelby Lee Adams (born 1950), American photographer *

Shelby Blackstock Shelby Steven McEntire Blackstock (born February 23, 1990) is an American race car driver. He is the son of country music singer Reba McEntire and her ex-husband Narvel Blackstock. His older half-brother, Brandon Blackstock, was formerly married ...

(born 1990), American racing driver * Shelby Brewer (1937–2015), American nuclear engineer * Shelby Bryan (born 1946), American technology executive * Shelby Coffey III (born 1946/1947), American journalist and business executive *

Shelby Moore Cullom Shelby Moore Cullom (November 22, 1829 – January 28, 1914) was an American politician who served in the United States House of Representatives, the United States Senate and as the 17th Governor of Illinois. He was Illinois's longest serving s ...

(1829–1914), member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, and 17th Governor of Illinois *

Shelby Cullom Davis Shelby Cullom Davis (April 1, 1909 – May 26, 1994) was an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist. In 1947, he founded Shelby Cullom Davis & Company, which became a leading investment firm. He later served as U.S. ambassador to ...

(1909–1994), American investment banker, philanthropist and United States Ambassador to Switzerland * Shelby Davis (born 1937), American money manager; son of Shelby Cullom Davis *

Shelby Foote Shelby Dade Foote Jr. (November 17, 1916 – June 27, 2005) was an American writer, historian and journalist. Although he primarily viewed himself as a novelist, he is now best known for his authorship of ''The Civil War: A Narrative'', a three- ...

(1916–2005), American historian and novelist * Shelby Gaines (), American musician and visual artist * Shelby Harris (born 1991), American football player *

Shelby Millard Harrison Shelby Millard Harrison (1881–1970) was a director of the Russell Sage Foundation, in charge of the Babe Ruth George Herman "Babe" Ruth (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional Baseball in the United States, bas ...

(1881–1970), American social scientist * Shelby Highsmith (1929–2015), American federal judge * Shelby Howard (born 1985), American racing driver * Shelby D. Hunt (1939–2022), American business theorist *

Shelby Jacobs Shelby B. Jacobs (April 27, 1935 – September 5, 2022) was an American engineer known for adapting camera technology that shot the iconic film of the separation between the first and second stages of the Saturn V rocket. Career Jacobs sp ...

(1935–2022), American engineer *

Shelby James Shelby James (born October 29, 1973 in Orlando, Florida United States) was an Amateur American "Old School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer whose prime competitive years were from 1982 to 1990. Starting at age six, it could be said that Shelby Ja ...

(born 1973), American sport cyclist * Shelby Jordan (1952–2022), American football player * Shelby Kutty (), Indian-born American cardiologist * Shelby A. Laxson (1913–1982), American politician * Shelby Linville (1929–2008), American basketball player * Shelby Metcalf (1930–2007), American basketball coach *

Shelby Miller Shelby Charles Miller (born October 10, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the St. Louis Cardinals, Atlanta Braves, Texas Rangers, ...

(born 1990), American baseball pitcher * Shelby Robertson (), American comics artist *

Shelby Singleton Shelby Sumpter Singleton, Jr. (December 16, 1931 – October 7, 2009) was an American record producer and record label owner. Early life He was born Shelby Sumpter Singleton, Jr. in Waskom, Texas. His parents were Shelby Sumpter Singleton, Sr. an ...

(1931–2009), American record producer and record label owner *

Shelby Steele Shelby Steele (born January 1, 1946) is an American author, columnist, documentary film maker, and a Robert J. and Marion E. Oster Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. He specializes in the study of race relations, multicult ...

(born 1946), American author, columnist, documentary film maker and academic *

Shelby G. Tilford Shelby G. Tilford (January 11, 1937 – June 10, 2022) was an American atmospheric spectroscopist, Earth scientist, and science program administrator. He retired in 1994 after a long career with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, ...

(1937–2022), American scientist *

Shelby Tucker James Shelby Tucker Jr. (1935 – 2023), also known by his pen name Shelby Tucker, was a dual-national American and British lawyer, journalist, and author. His works included Among Insurgents: Walking Through Burma, the story of his trek from Chi ...

(born 1935), American lawyer and journalist * Shelby Westbrook (1922–2016), American aviator and Tuskegee Airman *

Shelby Whitfield Shelby Aldwin Whitfield (April 13, 1935 – February 5, 2013) was an American play-by-play sports announcer, author and sports director for ABC Radio. Early life and career Whitfield was born in Frost, Texas. He attended the University of Texas, ...

(1935–2013), American sportscaster * Shelby Wilson (born 1937), American wrestler and 1960 Olympic gold medalist

Women

* Shelby Babcock (born 1992), American softball player * Shelby Bach (born 1986), American children's writer *

Shelby Chong Shelby Chong (née Fiddis; born February 1, 1948) is an American comedian, actress and producer who was the executive producer of '' Best Buds'' (2003) and the associate producer of four Cheech & Chong films. She is married to the comedian and a ...

(born 1948), American comedian, actress, and producer *

Shelby Ivey Christie Shelby Ivey Christie is an American fashion and costume historian. She specializes in the contributions of Black designers. Christie is best known for writing Twitter threads about specific moments or people in fashion history. Early life and ed ...

, American fashion and costume historian * Shelby Dressel (born 1990), American singer-songwriter * Shelby Earl (born 1976), American singer-songwriter * Shelby Fero (born 1993), American comedian and screenwriter *

Shelby Flint Shelby Flint (born September 17, 1939) is an American singer-songwriter who had two top-100 hits, " Angel on My Shoulder" in 1961 and " Cast Your Fate to the Wind" in 1966. Career Flint's single "I Will Love You" appeared in the Variety T.I.P. ...

(born 1939), American singer-songwriter *

Shelby Grant Shelby Grant (born Brenda Thompson; October 19, 1936 – June 25, 2011) was an American actress whose credits included ''Our Man Flint'', ''Fantastic Voyage'', and '' Medical Center''. Early life Grant was born on October 19, 1936, in Orland ...

(1936–2011), American actress born Brenda Thompson * Shelby Hearon (1931–2016), American writer *

Shelby Hogan Shelby Ann Hogan (born May 10, 1998) is an American professional soccer goalkeeper for Gotham FC of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). She has previously played for Portland Thorns FC and the Providence Friars in college. Youth career Ho ...

(born 1998), American soccer goalkeeper * Shelby Holliday (), American television journalist *

Shelby Houlihan Shelby Houlihan (born February 8, 1993) is an American middle distance runner, Olympian and World Record holder in the 4x1500m relay. Houlihan competed in the 5000m final at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, finishing 11th. She is a 12-time US Nati ...

(born 1993), American runner *

Shelby Hughes Shelby L. Hughes (1981 – ca. June 21, 2014) was an American artist and designer. Her works have been exhibited internationally and are included in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. After her death in an unsolved mu ...

(1981–2014), American artist and designer * Shelby Johnson, known as Shelby J. (born 1972), American singer-songwriter * Shelby Kisiel (born 1994), American rhythmic gymnast * Shelby F. Lewis, American political scientist and scholar *

Shelby Lindley Shelby Lindley (born September 12, 1986) is an American actress who has provided voices for the English dubs of Japanese anime and video games. Her major voice roles include List of K-On! characters#Tsumugi Kotobuki, Tsumugi Kotobuki in ''K-On!'' ...

(born 1986), American voice actress *

Shelby Lynne Shelby Lynne (born Shelby Lynn Moorer, October 22, 1968) is an American singer and songwriter and the older sister of singer-songwriter Allison Moorer. The success of her pop rock album '' I Am Shelby Lynne'' (1999) led to her winning the Grammy A ...

(born 1968), American singer-songwriter * Shelby Lyons (born 1981), American retired figure skater *

Shelby Pierson Shelby Pierson is a U.S. intelligence officer and the former top election security official of the American intelligence community, the chair of the Election Executive and Leadership Board. Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats instituted ...

(), American intelligence official *

Shelby Rabara Shelby Ann Narito Rabara Shum (née Rabara; born October 5, 1983) is an American actress and dancer who has appeared in a number of films, television series and commercials as both an actress and a dancer. Rabara is known for providing the voice ...

(born 1983), American actress and dancer *

Shelby Rogers Shelby Nicole Rogers (born October 13, 1992) is an American former professional tennis player. She had career-high WTA rankings of No. 30 in singles and No. 40 in doubles, and won six singles and two doubles titles on the ITF Women's Circuit. R ...

(born 1992), American tennis player *

Shelby Sherritt Shelby Sherritt is an Australian ceramics artist and TikToker from Ballarat. Early life and education Sherritt was raised in Ballarat. Growing up, she enjoyed art as a hobby. She attended Damascus College. As a student she was involved with A ...

, Australian ceramicist * Shelby Starner (1984–2003), American singer-songwriter and musician * Shelby Tracy Tom (1963–2003), Canadian female murder victim * Shelby Walker (1975-2006), American boxer *

Shelby Young Shelby Young (born 8 April 1992) is an American actress and voice actress. She is known for her roles on ''American Horror Story'', ''Days of Our Lives'', ''The Social Network'' and in the ''Star Wars'' video games, as well as her presence on so ...

(born 1992), American actress

Notes

{{given name Given names originating from a surname English unisex given names