Shirley
English place name from Old English sċīr (“county”) + lēah (“meadow”).
Every Shirley since 1880 — 695,934 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shirley
Shirley is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #1,586 in 2025 with 133 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 695,934 American babies have been named Shirley. Its peak came in 1935, when 42,801 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1930s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Shirley stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shirley year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 133 | #1,586 | — | — |
| 2024 | 151 | #1,455 | — | — |
| 2023 | 139 | #1,539 | — | — |
| 2022 | 134 | #1,588 | — | — |
| 2021 | 105 | #1,894 | — | — |
| 2020 | 137 | #1,550 | — | — |
| 2019 | 148 | #1,488 | — | — |
| 2018 | 152 | #1,450 | — | — |
| 2017 | 185 | #1,279 | — | — |
| 2016 | 168 | #1,393 | — | — |
| 2015 | 181 | #1,314 | — | — |
| 2014 | 202 | #1,213 | — | — |
| 2013 | 174 | #1,346 | — | — |
| 2012 | 176 | #1,338 | — | — |
| 2011 | 188 | #1,270 | — | — |
| 2010 | 178 | #1,325 | — | — |
| 2009 | 233 | #1,100 | — | — |
| 2008 | 304 | #908 | — | — |
| 2007 | 288 | #943 | — | — |
| 2006 | 249 | #1,032 | — | — |
| 2005 | 285 | #888 | — | — |
| 2004 | 240 | #990 | — | — |
| 2003 | 313 | #793 | — | — |
| 2002 | 259 | #878 | — | — |
| 2001 | 305 | #781 | — | — |
| 2000 | 259 | #851 | — | — |
| 1995 | 343 | #636 | — | — |
| 1990 | 472 | #510 | — | — |
| 1985 | 494 | #443 | 5 | #7,430 |
| 1980 | 603 | #380 | 8 | #4,875 |
| 1975 | 875 | #278 | 6 | #5,358 |
| 1970 | 1,629 | #198 | 19 | #2,112 |
| 1965 | 3,370 | #111 | 31 | #1,402 |
| 1960 | 6,411 | #70 | 46 | #1,165 |
| 1955 | 9,755 | #37 | 51 | #1,064 |
| 1950 | 15,891 | #19 | 82 | #760 |
| 1945 | 16,150 | #14 | 143 | #500 |
| 1940 | 17,881 | #9 | 214 | #390 |
| 1935 | 42,366 | #2 | 435 | #259 |
| 1930 | 14,775 | #11 | 273 | #338 |
| 1925 | 10,513 | #17 | 223 | #402 |
| 1920 | 4,713 | #56 | 196 | #429 |
| 1915 | 1,135 | #162 | 171 | #415 |
| 1910 | 318 | #204 | 24 | #596 |
| 1905 | 162 | #257 | 16 | #611 |
| 1900 | 110 | #324 | 32 | #401 |
| 1895 | 43 | #436 | 28 | #357 |
| 1890 | 40 | #405 | 19 | #423 |
| 1885 | 16 | #555 | 17 | #457 |
| 1880 | 8 | #671 | 10 | #630 |
Famous people named Shirley
- Shirley MacLaine Actor · b. 1934
- Shirley Temple Actor · 1928–2014
- Shirley Bassey Singer · b. 1937
- Shirley Knight Actor · 1936–2020
- Shirley Douglas Actor · 1934–2020
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shirley mean?
English place name from Old English sċīr (“county”) + lēah (“meadow”).
How popular is the name Shirley in 2025?
Shirley ranked #1,586 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 133 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Shirley?
695,934 babies have been named Shirley in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shirley most popular?
Shirley peaked in 1935, when 42,801 newborns received the name.
Is Shirley a boy or girl name?
Shirley is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Shirley rising or falling?
Shirley is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Shirley?
Well-known people named Shirley include Shirley MacLaine (actor), Shirley Temple (actor), Shirley Bassey (singer).