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Home › Baby Names Directory › Shirl

Shirl

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHURL /ˈʃɜːrl/High

Meaning: Shirl is a short form of Shirley, from the Old English scir ('bright') and leah ('meadow, clearing') — 'bright meadow'. It clips the popular Shirley into a single brisk syllable.Medium

In 30 seconds: Shirley in one beat: Shirl means 'bright meadow' at root (said 'SHURL'), a snappy mid-century clip.
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Origin MediumOld English
MeaningShirl is a short form of Shirley, from the Old English scir ('bright') and leah ('meadow, clearing') — 'bright meadow'. It clips the popular Shirley into a single brisk syllable.
U.S. rank (1983)#11781 ↗ Rising
1983 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1964
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,323

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 196419341983

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

Shirl is a short form of Shirley, from Old English roots meaning 'bright meadow'. As Shirley remained a mid-century favorite, the clipped Shirl saw modest use as a given name, cresting around 1964. It faded with the broader Shirley trend.

Uncommon now, it reads as a crisp period nickname-name. Brisk, friendly, and short.

Did you know? Shirl is Shirley trimmed to a single syllable — a breezy short form that peaked around 1964, rooted in the Old English for 'bright meadow'.
Overall data confidence 65%
References — Shirl — Short form of Shirley; Old English 'bright meadow'

Variations

ShirleyShirleeSherle

Nicknames

ShirleyShel

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Shirl…

Shirley— the full name Shirl shortens
Cheryl— a like mid-century girl's name
Beryl— a similar short vintage pick
Merle— a like one-beat older name

Explore names like Shirl

By themeshortvintagenickname-name1960s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shirl mean?

Shirl is a short form of Shirley, from Old English roots meaning 'bright meadow'.

How do you pronounce Shirl?

It's said SHURL /ˈʃɜːrl/ — one syllable.

Is Shirl a boy or girl name?

Shirl is used as a girl's name.

Is Shirl making a comeback?

Shirl is uncommon today and reads as a mid-century short name rather than a reviving one.

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