Shirley

#1,581 for girls in 2025, 133 births · Last seen for boys in 1993 at #6,816
Given to girls 98.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1935 · 42,366 births
Debut · girls
8 births
In top 100 · girls
46 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
686,383
since 1880

Shirley over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201932peak #2, 1935girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#1,581133—
2024#1,452151—
2023#1,534139—
2022#1,583134—
2021#1,885105—
2020#1,545137—
2019#1,483148—
2018#1,447152—
2017#1,274185—
2016#1,386168—
2015#1,311181—
2014#1,205202—
2013#1,338174—
2012#1,334176—
2011#1,266188—
2010#1,317178—
2009#1,091233—
2008#905304—
2007#937288—
2006#1,026249—
2005#885285—
2004#987240—
2003#788313—
2002#878259—
2001#778305—
2000#850259—
1999#914231—
1998#742293—
1997#660333—
1996#654339—
1995#634343—
1994#593380—
1993#579406#6,8167
1992#530449#8,4355
1991#521446—
1990#509472—
1989#512457—
1988#491462#6,4266
1987#473459#6,0896
1986#491435#6,7215
1985#441494#6,5235
1984#438477#6,3155
1983#428505#3,88410
1982#384601#5,0037
1981#390579—
1980#380603#4,4958
1979#346671#4,8427
1978#336647#3,8579
1977#307777—
1976#277834#3,09512
1975#278875#4,7976
1974#2541,010#2,94612
1973#2171,155#4,0547
1972#2091,334#2,65913
1971#1931,588#2,20318
1970#1981,629#2,05819
1969#1731,867#1,64225
1968#1502,142#2,31113
1967#1422,508#1,36431
1966#1232,919#1,25936
1965#1113,370#1,38631
1964#1033,967#1,51027
1963#994,387#1,51327
1962#964,869#1,29536
1961#855,638#1,30337
1960#706,411#1,15246
1959#617,284#1,21241
1958#528,088#1,04953
1957#468,855#96662
1956#419,429#1,01954
1955#379,755#1,05451
1954#3310,909#90866
1953#2912,148#86868
1952#2812,529#85067
1951#2713,919#79978
1950#1915,891#75882
1949#1817,281#75483
1948#2016,121#80271
1947#1917,648#611124
1946#1817,870#534145
1945#1416,150#500143
1944#1516,309#537128
1943#1217,816#462186
1942#1217,750#427205
1941#1016,954#446174
1940#917,881#389214
1939#520,447#368238
1938#523,766#340265
1937#426,823#293337
1936#235,161#277381
1935#242,366#259435
1934#422,841#318288
1933#914,320#372213
1932#914,476#357242
1931#914,405#362239
1930#1114,775#337273
1929#914,576#346263
1928#1014,215#370249
1927#913,314#377242
1926#1411,762#409214
1925#1710,513#402223
1924#199,489#407226
1923#267,918#391231
1922#396,407#398229
1921#445,695#404227
1920#564,713#427196
1919#893,149#418197
1918#972,654#440182
1917#1231,800#432172
1916#1601,245#447155
1915#1621,135#414171
1914#160906#402141
1913#169684#406113
1912#198489#48466
1911#198362#49735
1910#202318#58224
1909#203281#43633
1908#196284#54122
1907#207247#61617
1906#234187#46523
1905#256162#59216
1904#268138#43124
1903#309102#52717
1902#309104#44022
1901#30595#68310
1900#322110#39332
1899#34674#52114
1898#37270#54315
1897#37261#42220
1896#38355#64112
1895#43343#34728
1894#40747#39922
1893#37452#47915
1892#34658#52515
1891#42335#45615
1890#40040#41519
1889#37142#52513
1888#43932#52814
1887#49920#6319
1886#55616#43117
1885#54216#43917
1884#47918#57011
1883#45118#49713
1882#6349#57611
1881—#7067
1880#6288#60010
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Shirley was already there! It came in at #628, and was given to 8 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1881, when fewer than 5 girls a year got the name.

Where Shirley is popular in 1932

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #22 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 45 girlsAKMaine: #19 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 76 girlsMEVermont: #6 for girls · 60 births · 1 in 40 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #9 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 45 girlsNHWashington: #4 for girls · 276 births · 1 in 32 girlsWAIdaho: #5 for girls · 83 births · 1 in 39 girlsIDMontana: #4 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 36 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #10 for girls · 99 births · 1 in 58 girlsNDMinnesota: #9 for girls · 405 births · 1 in 48 girlsMNIllinois: #7 for girls · 1,051 births · 1 in 48 girlsILWisconsin: #5 for girls · 553 births · 1 in 42 girlsWIMichigan: #6 for girls · 961 births · 1 in 38 girlsMINew York: #17 for girls · 1,070 births · 1 in 82 girlsNYMassachusetts: #12 for girls · 455 births · 1 in 66 girlsMARhode Island: #12 for girls · 72 births · 1 in 62 girlsRIOregon: #6 for girls · 136 births · 1 in 36 girlsORNevada: #2 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 15 girlsNVWyoming: #4 for girls · 46 births · 1 in 30 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #7 for girls · 114 births · 1 in 47 girlsSDIowa: #5 for girls · 478 births · 1 in 37 girlsIAIndiana: #13 for girls · 358 births · 1 in 64 girlsINOhio: #8 for girls · 907 births · 1 in 50 girlsOHPennsylvania: #8 for girls · 1,652 births · 1 in 45 girlsPANew Jersey: #25 for girls · 280 births · 1 in 95 girlsNJConnecticut: #11 for girls · 160 births · 1 in 63 girlsCTCalifornia: #6 for girls · 607 births · 1 in 56 girlsCAUtah: #4 for girls · 127 births · 1 in 34 girlsUTColorado: #4 for girls · 209 births · 1 in 38 girlsCONebraska: #4 for girls · 274 births · 1 in 37 girlsNEMissouri: #5 for girls · 622 births · 1 in 44 girlsMOKentucky: #38 for girls · 148 births · 1 in 185 girlsKYWest Virginia: #31 for girls · 107 births · 1 in 164 girlsWVVirginia: #13 for girls · 310 births · 1 in 79 girlsVAMaryland: #6 for girls · 282 births · 1 in 43 girlsMDDelaware: #16 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 57 girlsDEArizona: #10 for girls · 51 births · 1 in 74 girlsAZNew Mexico: #55 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 206 girlsNMKansas: #6 for girls · 302 births · 1 in 44 girlsKSArkansas: #59 for girls · 77 births · 1 in 243 girlsARTennessee: #34 for girls · 167 births · 1 in 163 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #27 for girls · 260 births · 1 in 141 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #75 for girls · 75 births · 1 in 278 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #8 for girls · 101 births · 1 in 38 girlsDCOklahoma: #24 for girls · 178 births · 1 in 123 girlsOKLouisiana: #6 for girls · 297 births · 1 in 71 girlsLAMississippi: #87 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 324 girlsMSAlabama: #77 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 318 girlsALGeorgia: #66 for girls · 117 births · 1 in 263 girlsGAHawaii: #30 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 111 girlsHITexas: #30 for girls · 316 births · 1 in 178 girlsTXFlorida: #19 for girls · 121 births · 1 in 101 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Nevada#2 · 1 in 15
  2. Wyoming#4 · 1 in 30
  3. Washington#4 · 1 in 32
  4. Utah#4 · 1 in 34
  5. Montana#4 · 1 in 36

Best ever in a state: #1 in Idaho, 1934.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Nevada#2201 in 15
Colorado#42091 in 38
Montana#4941 in 36
Nebraska#42741 in 37
Utah#41271 in 34
Washington#42761 in 32
Wyoming#4461 in 30
Idaho#5831 in 39
Iowa#54781 in 37
Missouri#56221 in 44
Wisconsin#55531 in 42
California#66071 in 56
Kansas#63021 in 44
Louisiana#62971 in 71
Maryland#62821 in 43
Michigan#69611 in 38
Oregon#61361 in 36
Vermont#6601 in 40
Illinois#71,0511 in 48
South Dakota#71141 in 47
District of Columbia#81011 in 38
Ohio#89071 in 50
Pennsylvania#81,6521 in 45
Minnesota#94051 in 48
New Hampshire#9681 in 45
Arizona#10511 in 74
North Dakota#10991 in 58
Connecticut#111601 in 63
Massachusetts#124551 in 66
Rhode Island#12721 in 62
Indiana#133581 in 64
Virginia#133101 in 79
Delaware#16261 in 57
New York#171,0701 in 82
Florida#191211 in 101
Maine#19841 in 76
Alaska#2251 in 45
Oklahoma#241781 in 123
New Jersey#252801 in 95
North Carolina#272601 in 141
Hawaii#30301 in 111
Texas#303161 in 178
West Virginia#311071 in 164
Tennessee#341671 in 163
Kentucky#381481 in 185
New Mexico#55231 in 206
Arkansas#59771 in 243
Georgia#661171 in 263
South Carolina#75751 in 278
Alabama#77941 in 318
Mississippi#87681 in 324

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Shirley
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 129 spots since 2024 (#1,452 → #1,581)
  • 36 spots since 2020 (#1,545 → #1,581)
  • 270 spots since 2015 (#1,311 → #1,581)
  • Biggest jump: 183 spots in 1883 (#634 → #451)
  • Biggest drop: 199 spots in 2004 (#788 → #987)
Rise & fade · girls
55 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1935 at #2 (42,366 births)
  • Births halved by 1939, 4 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 10 for 14 yrs
  • Top 10: 14 yrs · run 1931–1941
  • Top 100: 46 yrs · run 1918–1963
  • Top 1,000: 127 yrs · run 1882–2005
Share of babies · girls
1 in 25
  • Highest: 1 in 25 girls born in 1935 were named Shirley (4.0%)
  • Latest: 1 in 12,085 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
Era · girls
The 1930s
  • 33.4% of all girls named Shirley (229,380) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s179#371 (1889)#511
1890s535#346 (1899)#386
1900s1,710#196 (1908)#261
1910s12,742#89 (1919)#156
1920s98,602#9 (1929)#24
1930s229,380#2 (1935)#6
1940s171,780#9 (1940)#15
1950s108,807#19 (1950)#37
1960s38,078#70 (1960)#115
1970s10,520#193 (1971)#262
1980s5,072#380 (1980)#443
1990s3,692#509 (1990)#634
2000s2,735#778 (2001)#913
2010s1,752#1,205 (2014)#1,336
2020s799#1,452 (2024)#1,597

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Shirley in 1932

girls
#9
14,476 births · 1 in 74 girls
boys
#357
242 births · 1 in 4,315 boys

Top girls' names in 1932

  1. #1Mary59,883
  2. #2Betty34,420
  3. #3Barbara26,318
  4. #4Dorothy24,974
  5. #5Joan21,044
  6. #6Patricia17,992
  7. #7Margaret16,556
  8. #8Helen16,376
  9. #9Shirley14,476
  10. #10Doris12,910

Top boys' names in 1932

  1. #1Robert59,268
  2. #2James51,930
  3. #3John48,624
  4. #4William42,124
  5. #5Richard31,809
  6. #6Charles31,092
  7. #7Donald29,794
  8. #8George20,439
  9. #9Joseph18,566
  10. #10Thomas16,834
  11. #357Shirley242
More about 1932

girls

1,067,148 girls got a published name in 1932; 1 in 74 of them was named Shirley, which outranked 99.8% of the 5,098 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shirley
  1. #6Patricia17,992
  2. #7Margaret16,556
  3. #8Helen16,376
  4. #9Shirley14,476
  5. #10Doris12,910
  6. #11Ruth12,257
  7. #12Joyce11,362
Biggest movers since 1931
Risers
  1. ↑ 963Dian#1,876 → #913
  2. ↑ 519Carleen#1,394 → #875
  3. ↑ 357Jimmy#1,336 → #979
  4. ↑ 347Letty#1,287 → #940
  5. ↑ 340Letitia#1,148 → #808
Fallers
  1. ↓ 350Blossom#970 → #1,320
  2. ↓ 332Luetta#844 → #1,176
  3. ↓ 305Roy#887 → #1,192
  4. ↓ 289Sofia#887 → #1,176
  5. ↓ 282Joretta#463 → #745

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,044,157 boys got a published name in 1932; 1 in 4,315 of them was named Shirley, which outranked 91.7% of the 4,284 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shirley
  1. #354Christopher244
  2. #355Merrill243
  3. #355Stewart243
  4. #357Shirley242
  5. #357Adolph242
  6. #357Will242
  7. #360Jean240
  8. #361Guadalupe239
  9. #362Clair238

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1931
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,418Delano#3,095 → #677
  2. ↑ 969Garner#1,643 → #674
  3. ↑ 868Ronny#1,770 → #902
  4. ↑ 713Darryl#1,693 → #980
  5. ↑ 609Marc#1,589 → #980
Fallers
  1. ↓ 467Jones#959 → #1,426
  2. ↓ 455Hamilton#831 → #1,286
  3. ↓ 393Hyman#697 → #1,090
  4. ↓ 373Davey#983 → #1,356
  5. ↓ 341Hayes#983 → #1,324

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1932 →