Fun Facts About the Name Shirley
- An established favorite: Shirley held a place in the U.S. top 100 for 46 consecutive years, from 1918 through 1963.
- More than 695 thousand babies named Shirley: U.S. records list 695,930 babies given the name Shirley from 1880 through 2025. Even 9,551 boys received the name Shirley - about 1 boy for every 72 girls.
What Does the Name Shirley Mean?
Shirley is an English name meaning "bright meadow" or "bright clearing." It comes from the Old English elements scīr, "bright, clear," and lēah, "wood, clearing, meadow." The name began as a surname taken from one or more places called Shirley in England; the place-name would have described an open, bright clearing. The first element scīr can also mean "shire" or "district" in other contexts, but the common explanation for Shirley treats it as "bright." The usual meaning is therefore the literal place-name sense, not a later symbolic interpretation.
Shirley Name History & Origins
Shirley is found as an English surname in the medieval period, when surnames often came from the place where a person lived or held land. Several villages and districts in England bear the name, including places in Derbyshire, Hampshire, Surrey, and the West Midlands. The surname was later used as a given name. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, Shirley was used as a male given name in Britain and North America.
Charlotte Brontë's novel Shirley (1849) has a woman named Shirley as its title character. This is a famous literary use of the name, but it was not the name's first appearance; Shirley was already in use before the novel. In the later 19th century, the name became more common for women in English-speaking countries, and its use as a male given name declined. It continued as a female given name into the 20th century.
How Popular is the Name Shirley?
Shirley remained among the top 100 girl names in the U.S. from 1918 to 1963. Its highest annual birth count was in 1935, and people born that year turn 91 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,586 | 133 | 0.0083% |
| 2024 | #1,453 | 151 | 0.0094% |
| 2023 | #1,539 | 139 | 0.0087% |
| 2022 | #1,588 | 134 | 0.0082% |
| 2021 | #1,892 | 105 | 0.0064% |
| 2020 | #1,549 | 137 | 0.0085% |
| 2019 | #1,486 | 148 | 0.0088% |
| 2018 | #1,450 | 152 | 0.0089% |
| 2017 | #1,278 | 185 | 0.0107% |
| 2016 | #1,393 | 168 | 0.0095% |
| 2015 | #1,313 | 181 | 0.0101% |
| 2014 | #1,213 | 202 | 0.0113% |
| 2013 | #1,346 | 174 | 0.0099% |
| 2012 | #1,338 | 176 | 0.0100% |
| 2011 | #1,270 | 188 | 0.0107% |
| 2010 | #1,325 | 178 | 0.0100% |
| 2009 | #1,100 | 233 | 0.0127% |
| 2008 | #908 | 304 | 0.0161% |
| 2007 | #943 | 288 | 0.0150% |
| 2006 | #1,032 | 249 | 0.0131% |
| 2005 | #890 | 284 | 0.0154% |
| 2004 | #990 | 240 | 0.0131% |
| 2003 | #793 | 313 | 0.0171% |
| 2002 | #878 | 259 | 0.0144% |
| 2001 | #781 | 305 | 0.0169% |
| 2000 | #851 | 259 | 0.0143% |
| 1999 | #918 | 231 | 0.0130% |
| 1998 | #742 | 293 | 0.0166% |
| 1997 | #661 | 333 | 0.0191% |
| 1996 | #655 | 339 | 0.0193% |
| 1995 | #636 | 343 | 0.0195% |
| 1994 | #593 | 380 | 0.0213% |
| 1993 | #580 | 406 | 0.0224% |
| 1992 | #530 | 449 | 0.0244% |
| 1991 | #525 | 446 | 0.0238% |
| 1990 | #510 | 472 | 0.0249% |
| 1989 | #514 | 457 | 0.0248% |
| 1988 | #492 | 462 | 0.0259% |
| 1987 | #473 | 459 | 0.0264% |
| 1986 | #492 | 435 | 0.0254% |
| 1985 | #443 | 494 | 0.0287% |
| 1984 | #438 | 477 | 0.0283% |
| 1983 | #428 | 506 | 0.0303% |
| 1982 | #385 | 601 | 0.0355% |
| 1981 | #391 | 579 | 0.0347% |
| 1980 | #380 | 603 | 0.0363% |
| 1979 | #346 | 671 | 0.0418% |
| 1978 | #336 | 647 | 0.0422% |
| 1977 | #307 | 777 | 0.0507% |
| 1976 | #277 | 834 | 0.0569% |
| 1975 | #278 | 875 | 0.0600% |
| 1974 | #254 | 1,010 | 0.0688% |
| 1973 | #218 | 1,155 | 0.0792% |
| 1972 | #209 | 1,334 | 0.0877% |
| 1971 | #193 | 1,588 | 0.0954% |
| 1970 | #198 | 1,629 | 0.0932% |
| 1969 | #173 | 1,867 | 0.1107% |
| 1968 | #150 | 2,142 | 0.1306% |
| 1967 | #142 | 2,508 | 0.1519% |
| 1966 | #124 | 2,919 | 0.1725% |
| 1965 | #111 | 3,370 | 0.1909% |
| 1964 | #103 | 3,968 | 0.2094% |
| 1963 | #99 | 4,385 | 0.2275% |
| 1962 | #96 | 4,870 | 0.2476% |
| 1961 | #85 | 5,638 | 0.2793% |
| 1960 | #70 | 6,410 | 0.3170% |
| 1959 | #61 | 7,284 | 0.3600% |
| 1958 | #52 | 8,088 | 0.4021% |
| 1957 | #46 | 8,855 | 0.4330% |
| 1956 | #41 | 9,429 | 0.4696% |
| 1955 | #37 | 9,756 | 0.4990% |
| 1954 | #33 | 10,908 | 0.5617% |
| 1953 | #29 | 12,149 | 0.6458% |
| 1952 | #28 | 12,529 | 0.6757% |
| 1951 | #27 | 13,918 | 0.7728% |
| 1950 | #19 | 15,891 | 0.9276% |
| 1949 | #18 | 17,282 | 1.0101% |
| 1948 | #20 | 16,122 | 0.9495% |
| 1947 | #19 | 17,647 | 0.9955% |
| 1946 | #18 | 17,869 | 1.1372% |
| 1945 | #14 | 16,150 | 1.2356% |
| 1944 | #15 | 16,310 | 1.2289% |
| 1943 | #12 | 17,816 | 1.2769% |
| 1942 | #12 | 17,749 | 1.3141% |
| 1941 | #10 | 16,955 | 1.4034% |
| 1940 | #9 | 17,880 | 1.5636% |
| 1939 | #5 | 20,445 | 1.8644% |
| 1938 | #5 | 23,766 | 2.1538% |
| 1937 | #4 | 26,823 | 2.5209% |
| 1936 | #2 | 35,162 | 3.3797% |
| 1935 | #2 | 42,365 | 4.0402% |
| 1934 | #4 | 22,841 | 2.1874% |
| 1933 | #9 | 14,320 | 1.4207% |
| 1932 | #9 | 14,476 | 1.3565% |
| 1931 | #9 | 14,405 | 1.3529% |
| 1930 | #11 | 14,775 | 1.3123% |
| 1929 | #9 | 14,576 | 1.3054% |
| 1928 | #10 | 14,215 | 1.2325% |
| 1927 | #9 | 13,314 | 1.1165% |
| 1926 | #14 | 11,761 | 0.9922% |
| 1925 | #17 | 10,513 | 0.8636% |
| 1924 | #19 | 9,489 | 0.7598% |
| 1923 | #26 | 7,918 | 0.6563% |
| 1922 | #39 | 6,407 | 0.5335% |
| 1921 | #44 | 5,695 | 0.4619% |
| 1920 | #56 | 4,713 | 0.3933% |
| 1919 | #89 | 3,149 | 0.2786% |
| 1918 | #97 | 2,654 | 0.2293% |
| 1917 | #123 | 1,800 | 0.1665% |
| 1916 | #160 | 1,245 | 0.1192% |
| 1915 | #162 | 1,135 | 0.1154% |
| 1914 | #160 | 906 | 0.1190% |
| 1913 | #169 | 684 | 0.1095% |
| 1912 | #198 | 489 | 0.0876% |
| 1911 | #198 | 362 | 0.0865% |
| 1910 | #204 | 318 | 0.0802% |
| 1909 | #203 | 281 | 0.0809% |
| 1908 | #198 | 284 | 0.0850% |
| 1907 | #208 | 247 | 0.0775% |
| 1906 | #234 | 187 | 0.0633% |
| 1905 | #257 | 162 | 0.0556% |
| 1904 | #272 | 138 | 0.0501% |
| 1903 | #309 | 102 | 0.0389% |
| 1902 | #311 | 104 | 0.0394% |
| 1901 | #308 | 95 | 0.0397% |
| 1900 | #324 | 110 | 0.0367% |
| 1899 | #347 | 74 | 0.0318% |
| 1898 | #373 | 70 | 0.0271% |
| 1897 | #373 | 61 | 0.0260% |
| 1896 | #384 | 55 | 0.0231% |
| 1895 | #436 | 43 | 0.0184% |
| 1894 | #408 | 47 | 0.0211% |
| 1893 | #377 | 52 | 0.0244% |
| 1892 | #347 | 58 | 0.0273% |
| 1891 | #428 | 35 | 0.0189% |
| 1890 | #405 | 40 | 0.0210% |
| 1889 | #378 | 42 | 0.0235% |
| 1888 | #442 | 32 | 0.0179% |
| 1887 | #509 | 20 | 0.0137% |
| 1886 | #570 | 16 | 0.0111% |
| 1885 | #555 | 16 | 0.0120% |
| 1884 | #498 | 18 | 0.0140% |
| 1883 | #463 | 18 | 0.0160% |
| 1882 | #670 | 9 | 0.0083% |
| 1880 | #671 | 8 | 0.0088% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | #7,503 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #9,606 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1988 | #7,117 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #6,820 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #7,672 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #7,431 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #7,170 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1983 | #4,101 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #5,537 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #4,876 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1979 | #5,283 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #4,117 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #3,236 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1975 | #5,358 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #3,099 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1973 | #4,436 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #2,803 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1971 | #2,265 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1970 | #2,112 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1969 | #1,670 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1968 | #2,429 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1967 | #1,383 | 31 | 0.0018% |
| 1966 | #1,276 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1965 | #1,402 | 31 | 0.0017% |
| 1964 | #1,538 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 1963 | #1,543 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 1962 | #1,309 | 36 | 0.0017% |
| 1961 | #1,345 | 36 | 0.0017% |
| 1960 | #1,151 | 47 | 0.0022% |
| 1959 | #1,225 | 41 | 0.0019% |
| 1958 | #1,059 | 53 | 0.0025% |
| 1957 | #969 | 62 | 0.0029% |
| 1956 | #1,030 | 54 | 0.0026% |
| 1955 | #1,064 | 51 | 0.0025% |
| 1954 | #914 | 66 | 0.0032% |
| 1953 | #873 | 68 | 0.0034% |
| 1952 | #859 | 67 | 0.0034% |
| 1951 | #802 | 78 | 0.0041% |
| 1950 | #760 | 82 | 0.0046% |
| 1949 | #759 | 83 | 0.0047% |
| 1948 | #811 | 71 | 0.0040% |
| 1947 | #613 | 124 | 0.0068% |
| 1946 | #536 | 145 | 0.0089% |
| 1945 | #500 | 143 | 0.0106% |
| 1944 | #540 | 128 | 0.0094% |
| 1943 | #463 | 186 | 0.0130% |
| 1942 | #429 | 205 | 0.0148% |
| 1941 | #447 | 174 | 0.0142% |
| 1940 | #390 | 214 | 0.0185% |
| 1939 | #370 | 238 | 0.0215% |
| 1938 | #343 | 265 | 0.0239% |
| 1937 | #293 | 337 | 0.0316% |
| 1936 | #277 | 381 | 0.0367% |
| 1935 | #259 | 435 | 0.0418% |
| 1934 | #319 | 288 | 0.0279% |
| 1933 | #373 | 213 | 0.0215% |
| 1932 | #358 | 242 | 0.0232% |
| 1931 | #363 | 239 | 0.0230% |
| 1930 | #338 | 273 | 0.0249% |
| 1929 | #347 | 263 | 0.0245% |
| 1928 | #370 | 249 | 0.0225% |
| 1927 | #379 | 242 | 0.0215% |
| 1926 | #412 | 214 | 0.0193% |
| 1925 | #402 | 223 | 0.0200% |
| 1924 | #410 | 226 | 0.0200% |
| 1923 | #391 | 231 | 0.0211% |
| 1922 | #399 | 229 | 0.0210% |
| 1921 | #404 | 227 | 0.0206% |
| 1920 | #429 | 196 | 0.0184% |
| 1919 | #418 | 197 | 0.0201% |
| 1918 | #442 | 182 | 0.0180% |
| 1917 | #432 | 172 | 0.0186% |
| 1916 | #451 | 155 | 0.0174% |
| 1915 | #415 | 171 | 0.0202% |
| 1914 | #403 | 141 | 0.0215% |
| 1913 | #407 | 113 | 0.0220% |
| 1912 | #489 | 66 | 0.0154% |
| 1911 | #503 | 35 | 0.0155% |
| 1910 | #596 | 24 | 0.0124% |
| 1909 | #447 | 33 | 0.0201% |
| 1908 | #551 | 22 | 0.0143% |
| 1907 | #633 | 17 | 0.0116% |
| 1906 | #471 | 23 | 0.0173% |
| 1905 | #611 | 16 | 0.0121% |
| 1904 | #443 | 24 | 0.0187% |
| 1903 | #548 | 17 | 0.0143% |
| 1902 | #456 | 22 | 0.0179% |
| 1901 | #721 | 10 | 0.0094% |
| 1900 | #401 | 32 | 0.0213% |
| 1899 | #544 | 14 | 0.0132% |
| 1898 | #567 | 15 | 0.0122% |
| 1897 | #436 | 20 | 0.0177% |
| 1896 | #669 | 12 | 0.0100% |
| 1895 | #357 | 28 | 0.0239% |
| 1894 | #408 | 22 | 0.0190% |
| 1893 | #503 | 15 | 0.0134% |
| 1892 | #538 | 15 | 0.0123% |
| 1891 | #471 | 15 | 0.0148% |
| 1890 | #423 | 19 | 0.0171% |
| 1889 | #547 | 13 | 0.0118% |
| 1888 | #552 | 14 | 0.0116% |
| 1887 | #674 | 9 | 0.0089% |
| 1886 | #446 | 17 | 0.0153% |
| 1885 | #457 | 17 | 0.0158% |
| 1884 | #603 | 11 | 0.0096% |
| 1883 | #517 | 13 | 0.0124% |
| 1882 | #605 | 11 | 0.0097% |
| 1881 | #773 | 7 | 0.0069% |
| 1880 | #630 | 10 | 0.0091% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
