Is Shirley a boy or girl name?

Shirley is primarily a girl name in U.S. records: about 99% of recorded births are female.

What is the average age of someone named Shirley?

The average Shirley alive today is an estimated 75 years old. People named Shirley were most often born around 1949.

When was the name Shirley most popular?

Shirley peaked in 1935 with 42,801 recorded births in the United States.

What vibe does the name Shirley have?

In one report's words: buoyant, resolute, cardiganed. Shirley ranks #85 among all U.S. first names since 1880.

Shirley — Name Meaning, Age & Vibe

UNDERSTAND YOUR NAME

Origin & Meaning

AI-Written

It originates as an English place name from Old English scīr, bright, and lēah, clearing. British parents initially used it as a surname and rare masculine name. Charlotte Brontë shifted its trajectory by giving it to the female lead of her 1849 novel Shirley. American registrations grew steadily until a 1930s child star turned it into a runaway favorite.

Also answers toShirl

Fig. 1 — Births per annum, 1880–2025

SSA Data

1880 peak: 42,801 souls, A.D. 1935 2025

2025: 133 born, falling ↘

Estimated Age

75 yrs

Most Shirleys were born around 1949 — remembers television arriving in the neighborhood.

Peak Reign

1935

№2 that year

Generation

Boomer, 50%

then Silent 39% · Gen X 7%

Rarity

Top 100 all-time

≈696K ever born · now falling

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How many Americans share Shirley ______?

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Estimates from SSA birth records and standard survival rates. Immigration and name changes not counted.

Shirley grew up with

SSA Data

black-and-white TV·Elvis on Ed Sullivan·hula hoops

Generation Distribution — Living Shirleys

SSA Data

Silent 39%Boomer 50%Gen X 7%Millennial 2%

Data vs. Humans

What the data says

SSA Data

SSA: Shirley peaked in 1935.

Estimated average age: 75.

What people think

Opinion Ledger

Awaiting human data — cast the first votes.

Shirley sounds like someone born in —

Fig. 2 — Style Coordinates

AI Seed · Votes Override at n=30

Vintage Modern

Formal Casual

Soft Strong

Cast your vote No account · one tap

In your mind, Shirley sounds more like a —

Voting opens when the ledger goes live. No account. 24h cooldown per question.

Public Opinion Ledger

Ledger Opens Soon

The public has not yet weighed in on Shirley. Early ballots carry the most weight.

First Impressions

AI-Written

The name reads today as an artifact of mid-century kitchens and practiced penmanship. It brings to mind aluminum knitting needles and an aunt who kept her landline telephone. Half of all surviving bearers belong to the Baby Boom, with another thirty-eight percent in the Silent Generation. Peak momentum arrived in 1935, when about forty-three thousand newborn girls received the name. By 2025, annual tallies had dropped to 133, making a playground encounter statistically improbable.

Field Notes

AI-Written

Field Note 01

In 1935, about forty-three thousand American newborns received the name, ranking it number two nationwide.

Field Note 02

With an estimated average age of seventy-five today, the typical bearer arrived around 1949.

Field Note 03

Nearly ninety-nine percent of recorded American bearers are female, marking a complete gender realignment in the federal ledger.

Notable Shirleys

AI-Written

Shirley Templeactress and diplomat, b. 1928

Shirley Chisholmcongresswoman and educator, b. 1924

Shirley Jacksonauthor, b. 1916

Shirley MacLaineactress and author, b. 1934

Adjacent Names

Beverly · Barbara · Carol · Joyce · Betty · Gloria · Peggy

Ephemera — If Shirley were a…

AI-Written

City

Pasadena, California

Color

Maraschino red

Job

Registrar of deeds

Object

Milk glass candy dish

And what of your name?