Girl
Shirley
bright meadow
About Shirley
Vintage charm meets modern revival in this classic name that's ready for rediscovery. Shirley carries generations of history while feeling fresh for contemporary parents seeking something different from current trends. The name has a pleasant, cheerful sound—those bright vowels and liquid consonants create an optimistic melody. Shirley doesn't take itself too seriously, yet maintains respectability and substance. It's experiencing a quiet renaissance among parents who appreciate retro aesthetics and grandmother-chic naming. The name suits a girl who will be equally comfortable in vintage dresses and modern jeans, who appreciates both tradition and innovation. Shirley offers familiarity without overuse, recognition without saturation. It's a conversation starter, a name that prompts stories and smiles from older generations while sounding perfectly wearable for today's babies.
Popularity of the Name Shirley
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #671 | |||
| 1882 | #670 | |||
| 1883 | #463 | |||
| 1884 | #498 | |||
| 1885 | #555 | |||
| 1886 | #570 | |||
| 1887 | #509 | |||
| 1888 | #442 | |||
| 1889 | #378 | |||
| 1890 | #405 | |||
| 1891 | #428 | |||
| 1892 | #347 | |||
| 1893 | #377 | |||
| 1894 | #408 | |||
| 1895 | #436 | |||
| 1896 | #384 | |||
| 1897 | #373 | |||
| 1898 | #373 | |||
| 1899 | #347 | |||
| 1900 | #324 | |||
| 1901 | #308 | |||
| 1902 | #311 | |||
| 1903 | #309 | |||
| 1904 | #272 | |||
| 1905 | #257 | |||
| 1906 | #234 | |||
| 1907 | #208 | |||
| 1908 | #198 | |||
| 1909 | #203 | |||
| 1910 | #204 | |||
| 1911 | #198 | |||
| 1912 | #198 | |||
| 1913 | #169 | |||
| 1914 | #160 | #184 | ||
| 1915 | #162 | #185 | ||
| 1916 | #160 | |||
| 1917 | #123 | #133 | ||
| 1918 | #97 | #105 | ||
| 1919 | #89 | #92 | ||
| 1920 | #56 | #56 | ||
| 1921 | #44 | #31 | ||
| 1922 | #39 | #25 | ||
| 1923 | #26 | #12 | ||
| 1924 | #19 | #9 | ||
| 1925 | #17 | #8 | ||
| 1926 | #14 | #3 | ||
| 1927 | #9 | #2 | ||
| 1928 | #10 | #2 | ||
| 1929 | #9 | #2 | ||
| 1930 | #11 | #2 | ||
| 1931 | #9 | #3 | ||
| 1932 | #9 | #2 | ||
| 1933 | #9 | #4 | ||
| 1934 | #4 | #2 | ||
| 1935 | #2 | #2 | ||
| 1936 | #2 | #2 | ||
| 1937 | #4 | #2 | ||
| 1938 | #5 | #7 | ||
| 1939 | #5 | #9 | ||
| 1940 | #9 | #7 | ||
| 1941 | #10 | #9 | ||
| 1942 | #12 | #11 | ||
| 1943 | #12 | #11 | ||
| 1944 | #15 | #9 | ||
| 1945 | #14 | #14 | ||
| 1946 | #18 | #14 | ||
| 1947 | #19 | #18 | ||
| 1948 | #20 | #19 | ||
| 1949 | #18 | #19 | ||
| 1950 | #19 | #21 | ||
| 1951 | #27 | #27 | ||
| 1952 | #28 | #25 | ||
| 1953 | #29 | #34 | ||
| 1954 | #33 | #40 | ||
| 1955 | #37 | #43 | ||
| 1956 | #41 | #35 | ||
| 1957 | #46 | #30 | ||
| 1958 | #52 | #36 | ||
| 1959 | #61 | #36 | ||
| 1960 | #70 | #47 | ||
| 1961 | #85 | #45 | ||
| 1962 | #96 | #78 | ||
| 1963 | #99 | #74 | ||
| 1964 | #103 | #83 | #124 | |
| 1965 | #111 | #107 | #133 | |
| 1966 | #124 | #104 | #96 | |
| 1967 | #142 | #120 | #112 | |
| 1968 | #150 | #114 | #111 | |
| 1969 | #173 | #152 | #93 | |
| 1970 | #198 | #149 | #98 | |
| 1971 | #193 | #209 | #64 | |
| 1972 | #209 | #216 | #68 | |
| 1973 | #218 | #178 | #70 | |
| 1974 | #254 | #304 | #67 | |
| 1975 | #278 | #213 | #84 | |
| 1976 | #277 | #369 | #87 | |
| 1977 | #307 | #249 | #113 | |
| 1978 | #336 | #363 | #114 | |
| 1979 | #346 | #329 | #112 | |
| 1980 | #380 | #381 | #142 | |
| 1981 | #391 | #368 | #165 | |
| 1982 | #385 | #134 | ||
| 1983 | #428 | #159 | ||
| 1984 | #438 | #403 | #178 | |
| 1985 | #443 | #194 | ||
| 1986 | #492 | #201 | ||
| 1987 | #473 | #390 | #270 | |
| 1988 | #492 | #289 | ||
| 1989 | #514 | #236 | ||
| 1990 | #509 | #396 | #248 | |
| 1991 | #525 | #272 | #457 | |
| 1992 | #530 | #333 | #439 | |
| 1993 | #580 | #381 | #504 | |
| 1994 | #593 | #254 | #464 | |
| 1995 | #636 | #382 | #439 | |
| 1996 | #655 | #391 | #718 | |
| 1997 | #661 | #490 | #587 | |
| 1998 | #742 | #415 | #767 | |
| 1999 | #916 | #804 | ||
| 2000 | #850 | |||
| 2001 | #781 | #976 | ||
| 2002 | #878 | #883 | ||
| 2003 | #793 | #550 | #817 | |
| 2004 | #990 | #678 | ||
| 2005 | #888 | #974 | ||
| 2007 | #943 | |||
| 2008 | #908 | |||
| 2011 | #902 | |||
| 2016 | #730 |
Top names by country: United States · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Shirley
- Shirlee
- Sherley
- Shirlie
- Sheryl
- Sheril
- Shirl
- Sherlee
Names Similar to Shirley
Nicknames for Shirley
- Shirl
- Shiri
- Lee
- Leigh
- Ley
Famous People Named Shirley
| Shirley Temple | American actress, singer, and dancer |
| Shirley MacLaine | American actress, singer, and author |
| Shirley Manson | Scottish singer and songwriter - lead vocalist of Garbage |
| Shirley Chisholm | American politician and the first African-American woman elected to the US Congress |
| Shirley Jones | American actress and singer |
| Shirley Bassey | Welsh singer known for her powerful voice and James Bond theme songs |
| Shirley Henderson | Scottish actress known for her roles in "Harry Potter" and "Bridget Jones's Diary" |
| Shirley Knight | American actress and Emmy Award winner |
| Shirley Ann Jackson | American physicist and the first African-American woman to earn a Ph.D. from MIT |
| Shirley Caesar | American gospel singer |
| Shirley Hufstedler | American lawyer and the first U.S. Secretary of Education |
| Shirley Strickland | Australian Olympic athlete and triple gold medalist in track and field |
| Shirley Verrett | American operatic mezzo-soprano |
| Shirley Hughes | British author and illustrator of children's books |
| Shirley Franklin | American politician and the first female mayor of Atlanta, Georgia |
| Shirley Phelps-Roper | American activist known for her association with the Westboro Baptist Church |
| Shirley Horn | American jazz singer and pianist |
| Shirley Abbott | American author and journalist |
| Shirley Temple Black | American diplomat and former child actress |
| Shirley Williams | British politician and the co-founder of the Social Democratic Party |
Characters Named Shirley
| Shirley Feeney | A character from the TV series "Laverne & Shirley" |
| Shirley Valentine | The main character in the play and film "Shirley Valentine" |
| Shirley the Loon | A character from the animated series "Tiny Toon Adventures" |
| Shirley Ghostman | A character played by Marc Wootton in the mockumentary series "High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman" |
| Shirley Muldowney | A character based on the real-life drag racer in the film "Heart Like a Wheel" |
| Shirley Crandell | A character from the film "Big Business" |
| Shirley Partridge | A character from the TV series "The Partridge Family" |
| Shirley Holmes | The main character in the Canadian TV series "The Adventures of Shirley Holmes" |
| Shirley T. Benjamin | A character from the film "The World According to Garp" |
| Shirley Caesar | A character from the TV series "Amen" |
| Shirley Bennett | A character from the TV series "Community" |
| Shirley Fenette | A character from the anime series "Code Geass - Lelouch of the Rebellion" |