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Shirlee

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHER-lee /ˈʃɜːr.liː/High

Meaning: A respelling of Shirley, from the Old English 'scir' ('bright' or 'shire') plus 'leah' ('wood; clearing') — 'bright clearing.' Once a surname and place name, it became a hugely popular girl's name in the Shirley Temple era.Medium

In 30 seconds: A sunny old spelling: Shirlee means 'bright clearing' (English), said 'SHER-lee' — a cousin of the Shirley Temple-era favorite.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningA respelling of Shirley, from the Old English 'scir' ('bright' or 'shire') plus 'leah' ('wood; clearing') — 'bright clearing.' Once a surname and place name, it became a hugely popular girl's name in the Shirley Temple era.

U.S. rank (2024)#17275 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1935

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,709

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

Shirlee restyles Shirley, from the Old English for 'bright clearing.' Shirley soared in the 1930s on the fame of child star Shirley Temple, and playful spellings like Shirlee rode the same wave, peaking in 1935 before fading (said 'SHER-lee').

Shirlee is tied to the Depression-era Shirley boom and has faded with it. Rare, vintage, and bright.

Did you know? Shirlee is a cheerful respelling of Shirley ('bright clearing') from the height of Shirley Temple's fame — it peaked around 1935 and dimmed as the years passed.

Overall data confidence 60%

References — Shirlee — Variant of Shirley; Old English 'bright clearing'

Variations

ShirleyShirlieShirl

Nicknames

ShirlLee

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Shirlee…

Shirley— the name it respells

Beverly— a like 1930s favorite

Dorothy— a like Depression-era classic

Betty— a like sunny vintage pick

Explore names like Shirlee

By themeenglish vintage cheerful 1930s

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Shirlee mean?

Shirlee is a variant of Shirley, from the Old English for 'bright clearing' or 'shire meadow.'

How do you pronounce Shirlee?

It's said SHER-lee /ˈʃɜːr.liː/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Shirlee a boy or girl name?

Shirlee is used here as a girl's name.

How popular is Shirlee?

Shirlee peaked in the mid-thirties and is rare today.