Shirley
How to say it: SHUR-lee · /ˈʃɜrli/
From an English surname/place name: Old English 'scir leah', 'bright woodland clearing'. Popularized as a given name in the 19th c.
Shirley was the 1,250th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 133 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1930s, its births are down about 26% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,273 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among girls’ names, 2025 | #1,250 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 133 |
| Share of births | 1 in 24,927 |
| Peak decade | 1930s |
| Change over 10 years | −26% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,273 |
| In France, 2025 | #2,541 among girls’ names, 5 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Once a defining sound of the 1930s, Shirley now stands far beneath that high. More slipping is expected after this.
What goes with it
Gentle sibilance gives Shirley a soft rolling character across two syllables. Dorothy belongs in the same set.
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Shirley is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in English, French.
In France: #2,541 for girls in 2025.
Famous people named Shirley
- Shirley MacLaine (born 1934)American actress
- Shirley Temple (1928–2014)American actress and diplomat
- Shirley Bassey (born 1937)Welsh singer
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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