Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Shirley
GirlEnglish, Old English· “bright clearing”
- Meaning
- bright clearing
- Origin
- English, Old English
- Pronunciation
- SHUR-lee
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #1,586
- US babies 2025
- 133
- Best rank
- #2 (1935)
- Peak year
- 1935
Meaning and origin of Shirley
Shirley is an English and Old English name that is usually said to mean “bright clearing”.
Shirley comes from an English place name built from Old English words usually read as bright clearing, though the first element may instead refer to a shire. It was mostly a masculine name until Charlotte Brontë published her novel Shirley in eighteen forty-nine, whose heroine, Shirley Keeldar, helped make it a girls' name. It was later made famous by the child star Shirley Temple. Shirley feels warmly vintage today, with a friendly, mid-century charm. Shirl and Lee are possible nicknames.
Other spellings with the same sound: Shirlee, Sherley, Shirlie.
Popularity over time
Shirley has been given to babies in the United States since at least 1880, the first year of Social Security records. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 127 different years. Its best national rank was #2 in 1935, the same year it reached its highest count of 42,366 babies. In 2025, 133 babies were named Shirley, and it ranked #1,586 nationally. That is 26% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.
Its national rank moved from #56 in 1920, #19 in 1950, #380 in 1980, #851 in 2000, #1,325 in 2010, and #1,586 in 2025. Of the 686,383 US girls named Shirley since records began, 33% were born in the 1930s, its biggest decade. The 1940s come next, with 171,780 babies. Since 2010, 2,551 more have been named Shirley.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Shirley ranked highest in Minnesota, Illinois, and New York.
| State | Rank there | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | #982 | 5 |
| Illinois | #998 | 9 |
| New York | #1081 | 14 |
| New Jersey | #1151 | 6 |
| Tennessee | #1288 | 5 |
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Shirley is usually pronounced SHUR-lee, with two syllables. It has seven letters, starts with S and ends in “-ey”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Shirlee, Sherley, and Shirlie.
Middle names for Shirley
A few middle names that flow with Shirley: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Shirley
Similar names
Marley Girl
MAHR-lee
“pleasant wood or clearing” · English
#322
Lindsey Girl
LIHN-zee
“from Lindsey, 'island of Lincoln'” · English
#1,369
Hayley Girl
HAY-lee
“hay clearing” · English
#1,251
Whitney Girl
WIHT-nee
“white island” · Old English
#1,046
Kingsley Unisex
KINGZ-lee
“king's wood” · Old English
#1,096
Riley Unisex
RY-lee
“rye clearing” · English
#48
Hailey Girl
HAY-lee
“hay clearing” · English
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Audrey Girl
AW-dree
“noble strength” · English
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Ashley Girl
ASH-lee
“ash tree clearing” · English
#164
Sydney Girl
SIHD-nee
“from an English surname and place name” · Old English
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Kinsley Girl
KIHNZ-lee
“from an English place name” · English
#93
Hadley Girl
HAD-lee
“heather clearing” · English
#121
Lists that include Shirley
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shirley mean?
Shirley is an English and Old English name that is usually said to mean “bright clearing”.
What is the origin of the name Shirley?
Shirley has English and Old English roots. Shirley comes from an English place name built from Old English words usually read as bright clearing, though the first element may instead refer to a shire.
Is Shirley a popular name?
Not especially. Shirley ranked #1,586 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Shirley a boy or girl name?
Shirley is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Shirley?
Shirley is usually pronounced SHUR-lee. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings