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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Sherley

Sherley

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Sherley

Pronounced SHUR-lee /ΛˆΚƒΙœr.li/Medium

Meaning: Sherley is a variant spelling of Shirley, from Old English 'scir' (bright, or shire) plus 'leah' (wood, clearing, meadow). Once a surname and place name, Shirley became a hugely popular girls' name in the 1930s, and Sherley is one of its by-forms.Medium

In 30 seconds: Sherley is a spelling of Shirley, meaning 'bright meadow' in Old English. It saw faint use in the mid-twentieth century (said 'SHUR-lee').
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Origin MediumEnglish
MeaningSherley is a variant spelling of Shirley, from Old English 'scir' (bright, or shire) plus 'leah' (wood, clearing, meadow). Once a surname and place name, Shirley became a hugely popular girls' name in the 1930s, and Sherley is one of its by-forms.
U.S. rank (2023)#13261 β†˜ Falling
2023 U.S. births7 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1947
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 1,238
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Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 194719102023

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

Sherley is a variant of Shirley, from Old English scir ('bright' or 'shire') and leah ('clearing, meadow'). Shirley's stardom in the 1930s pulled along softer respellings like this one.

It was always a minor form - only a few dozen girls a year even at its high point around 1947 - riding the coattails of Shirley rather than standing alone. It reads as a period spelling variant.

Did you know? Shirley began as a boys' name and surname before Shirley Temple's fame in the nineteen-thirties made it, and spellings like Sherley, overwhelmingly a girls' choice.
Overall data confidence 60%
References - Sherley / Shirley β€” Old English scir + leah 'bright meadow'

Variations

ShirleyShirleeSherleeShurley

Nicknames

SherShirl

Famous Bearers

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If you like Sherley…

Shirleyβ€” the standard spelling Sherley varies
Sherryβ€” a related soft Sh- feminine of the era
Sherylβ€” a same-period Sh- girls' name
Shirleeβ€” a near-identical spelling variant

Explore names like Sherley

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Sherley mean?

Sherley is a spelling of Shirley, from Old English for 'bright meadow'.

How do you pronounce Sherley?

It's said SHUR-lee /ΛˆΚƒΙœr.li/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Sherley a boy or girl name?

Sherley is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Sherley?

Sherley has always been rare, a spelling variant that trailed the popular Shirley.

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