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Home › Baby Names Directory › Shirley

Shirley

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHUR-lee /ˈʃɜːr.liː/Low

Meaning: Bright clearing or meadow, from Old English scir (bright) and leah (clearing)Low

In 30 seconds: Shirley is an Old English place name meaning bright meadow, from scir (bright) and leah (clearing). It was one of the most popular girl names in the United States in the 1930s-40s, largely due to child actress Shirley Temple.
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningBright clearing or meadow, from Old English scir (bright) and leah (clearing)
U.S. rank (2025)#1586 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births133 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1935
Total births (all-time)≈ 686,379

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 193518802025

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

Shirley derives from the Old English place name Shirley meaning bright clearing, from scir (bright, clear) and leah (clearing or meadow). It was a surname before becoming a given name. Charlotte Bronte's 1849 novel Shirley popularized it as a feminine name.

Shirley was one of the most popular girl names in the United States in the 1930s and 1940s, largely driven by the immense popularity of child actress Shirley Temple. It has a warm vintage feel today.

Did you know? Before the 1849 novel Shirley by Charlotte Bronte — which featured a female character named Shirley — the name was exclusively used for boys. The novel's heroine made Shirley a distinctly feminine name almost overnight.
Overall data confidence 90%
Behind the Name: Shirley

Variations

ShirleeShirlieSherley

Nicknames

ShirlLee

Famous Bearers

  • ★Shirley Temple (1928-2014)
    American child actress and the top box-office draw of the 1930s, who later became a U.S. diplomat

If you like Shirley…

Shelby— Two-syllable Sh- name of same vintage era
Sharon— Vintage two-syllable Sh- name
Charlene— Vintage two-syllable -ene name of same era
Sidney— another English name
Josey— a fellow English choice

Explore names like Shirley

By themeenglishtwo-syllableplace-namevintagebrightretro
By meaningLightEarth / Nature

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does Shirley mean?

Shirley means bright clearing or meadow from Old English scir (bright) and leah (clearing).

How did Shirley become a girl's name?

Charlotte Bronte's 1849 novel Shirley, featuring a female character with that name, switched the name from masculine to feminine usage almost overnight.

How do you pronounce Shirley?

Shirley is pronounced SHUR-lee with two syllables.

Who is the most famous Shirley?

Shirley Temple is the most famous bearer, an iconic child actress and singer of the 1930s who later became a US diplomat.

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