The first name Shirley

In 2025, 5 girls were named Shirley, making it the 4,201st most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2001, with 18 births (#1,107).

Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Shirley with other names.

In 2025, 133 girls born in the United States were named Shirley, the 1,586th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1935, when 42,366 were.

US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

Nicknames for Shirley

• Shirl

• Shirley Temple
  American actress and diplomat (1928–2014)
• Shirley MacLaine
  American actress, born 1934
• Shirley Chisholm
  First black woman elected to the United States Congress (1924-2005)
• Shirley Booth
  American actress (1898–1992)
• Shirley Jones
  American singer and actress, born 1934
• Shirley Jackson
  American writer (1916-1965)
• Shirley Knight
  American actress (1936-2020)
• Shirley Henderson
  British actress, born 1965
• Shirley Ann Jackson
  American physicist (born 1946)
• Shirley Strickland
  Australian hurdler and sprinter, 1925–2004
• Shirley Williams
  British politician and academic (1930–2021)
• Shirley Fry
  American tennis and badminton player (1927–2021)

• Evelyn
• Harper
• Holly
• Ashley
• Audrey
• Allison
• Hailey
• Hadley
• Kinsley
• Chelsea
• Everleigh
• Kelsey
• Hayley
• Shelby
• Haley
• Ethel

All 216 names of English origin

What does the name Shirley mean?

Shirley means “county”, “meadow”, “lea” in English.

What is the origin of the name Shirley?

English place name from Old English sċīr (“county”) + lēah (“meadow”). Equivalent to shire + -ley (“lea”). More at shire, leigh.

How popular is the name Shirley?

In 2025, 5 girls born in England and Wales were named Shirley, ranking 4,201st. Its peak was 2001, with 18 births.

What are nicknames for Shirley?

Common nicknames for Shirley include Shirl.

Is Shirley a boy's or a girl's name?

Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 695,934 US babies named Shirley since 1880 were girls.

When was Shirley most popular?

1935 in the United States, when 42,366 babies were named Shirley, its highest rank at 2nd.

How do you pronounce Shirley?

Shirley is /ˈʃɜː(ɹ)li/, 2 syllables.

What are other spellings of Shirley?

Sherley, Shurley, Shelley and Sheryl.

Is Shirley also a surname?

Yes. Shirley is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.