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Curley

♂ Boy

Pronounced KUR-lee /ˈkɜːr.li/High

Meaning: Curley began as a descriptive nickname for a person with curly hair, and also as an anglicized Irish surname (from Ó Thoirdhealbhaigh). Given as a first name in the early-to-mid twentieth century, it wears a friendly, informal character — the same jaunty nickname familiar from vaudeville and film.Low

In 30 seconds: Curley is a descriptive nickname-name ('curly-haired') and an Irish surname. It peaked around 1944 and reads as a homey vintage name.

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Origin LowEnglish, Irish

MeaningCurley began as a descriptive nickname for a person with curly hair, and also as an anglicized Irish surname (from Ó Thoirdhealbhaigh). Given as a first name in the early-to-mid twentieth century, it wears a friendly, informal character — the same jaunty nickname familiar from vaudeville and film.

U.S. rank (2003)#11223 ↘ Falling

2003 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1944

Total births (all-time)≈ 2,590

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Curley is a nickname-name from the English word for curly hair, and also an Irish surname anglicized from Ó Thoirdhealbhaigh. It saw modest use as a first name in the first half of the twentieth century, a warm, informal choice.

Curley crested around 1944 at roughly seventy boys a year and faded through the later century, appearing into the two-thousands. A Curley from the peak is in his early eighties now. It reads as a homey vintage name and has not revived.

Did you know? As a name Curley carries an easy, backslapping charm — a nickname that stuck and became a given name — and shares its sound with famous 'Curly' figures of stage and screen.

Overall data confidence 53%

References — Curley — Nickname 'curly-haired' + Irish surname; mid-century

Variations

CurlyCurleeKurley

Nicknames

CurlCurt

Famous Bearers

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If you like Curley…

Floyd— a like homey vintage boy's name

Leroy— a same-era informal-feeling name

Otis— a comparable warm early-century name

Roscoe— a same-style jaunty vintage name

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By themevintage nickname-name mid-century

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Curley mean?

Curley is a descriptive nickname for curly hair, and also an anglicized Irish surname.

How do you pronounce Curley?

It's said KUR-lee /ˈkɜːr.li/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Curley a boy or girl name?

Curley was used as a boy's name.

How popular is Curley?

Curley was an uncommon vintage name that peaked in the mid-nineteen-forties and has grown rare since.