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
- Peak · girls
- 1935 · 42,366 births
- Debut · girls
- 8 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 46 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 686,383since 1880
Shirley over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #1,581 | 133 | — | |
| 2024 | #1,452 | 151 | — | |
| 2023 | #1,534 | 139 | — | |
| 2022 | #1,583 | 134 | — | |
| 2021 | #1,885 | 105 | — | |
| 2020 | #1,545 | 137 | — | |
| 2019 | #1,483 | 148 | — | |
| 2018 | #1,447 | 152 | — | |
| 2017 | #1,274 | 185 | — | |
| 2016 | #1,386 | 168 | — | |
| 2015 | #1,311 | 181 | — | |
| 2014 | #1,205 | 202 | — | |
| 2013 | #1,338 | 174 | — | |
| 2012 | #1,334 | 176 | — | |
| 2011 | #1,266 | 188 | — | |
| 2010 | #1,317 | 178 | — | |
| 2009 | #1,091 | 233 | — | |
| 2008 | #905 | 304 | — | |
| 2007 | #937 | 288 | — | |
| 2006 | #1,026 | 249 | — | |
| 2005 | #885 | 285 | — | |
| 2004 | #987 | 240 | — | |
| 2003 | #788 | 313 | — | |
| 2002 | #878 | 259 | — | |
| 2001 | #778 | 305 | — | |
| 2000 | #850 | 259 | — | |
| 1999 | #914 | 231 | — | |
| 1998 | #742 | 293 | — | |
| 1997 | #660 | 333 | — | |
| 1996 | #654 | 339 | — | |
| 1995 | #634 | 343 | — | |
| 1994 | #593 | 380 | — | |
| 1993 | #579 | 406 | #6,816 | 7 |
| 1992 | #530 | 449 | #8,435 | 5 |
| 1991 | #521 | 446 | — | |
| 1990 | #509 | 472 | — | |
| 1989 | #512 | 457 | — | |
| 1988 | #491 | 462 | #6,426 | 6 |
| 1987 | #473 | 459 | #6,089 | 6 |
| 1986 | #491 | 435 | #6,721 | 5 |
| 1985 | #441 | 494 | #6,523 | 5 |
| 1984 | #438 | 477 | #6,315 | 5 |
| 1983 | #428 | 505 | #3,884 | 10 |
| 1982 | #384 | 601 | #5,003 | 7 |
| 1981 | #390 | 579 | — | |
| 1980 | #380 | 603 | #4,495 | 8 |
| 1979 | #346 | 671 | #4,842 | 7 |
| 1978 | #336 | 647 | #3,857 | 9 |
| 1977 | #307 | 777 | — | |
| 1976 | #277 | 834 | #3,095 | 12 |
| 1975 | #278 | 875 | #4,797 | 6 |
| 1974 | #254 | 1,010 | #2,946 | 12 |
| 1973 | #217 | 1,155 | #4,054 | 7 |
| 1972 | #209 | 1,334 | #2,659 | 13 |
| 1971 | #193 | 1,588 | #2,203 | 18 |
| 1970 | #198 | 1,629 | #2,058 | 19 |
| 1969 | #173 | 1,867 | #1,642 | 25 |
| 1968 | #150 | 2,142 | #2,311 | 13 |
| 1967 | #142 | 2,508 | #1,364 | 31 |
| 1966 | #123 | 2,919 | #1,259 | 36 |
| 1965 | #111 | 3,370 | #1,386 | 31 |
| 1964 | #103 | 3,967 | #1,510 | 27 |
| 1963 | #99 | 4,387 | #1,513 | 27 |
| 1962 | #96 | 4,869 | #1,295 | 36 |
| 1961 | #85 | 5,638 | #1,303 | 37 |
| 1960 | #70 | 6,411 | #1,152 | 46 |
| 1959 | #61 | 7,284 | #1,212 | 41 |
| 1958 | #52 | 8,088 | #1,049 | 53 |
| 1957 | #46 | 8,855 | #966 | 62 |
| 1956 | #41 | 9,429 | #1,019 | 54 |
| 1955 | #37 | 9,755 | #1,054 | 51 |
| 1954 | #33 | 10,909 | #908 | 66 |
| 1953 | #29 | 12,148 | #868 | 68 |
| 1952 | #28 | 12,529 | #850 | 67 |
| 1951 | #27 | 13,919 | #799 | 78 |
| 1950 | #19 | 15,891 | #758 | 82 |
| 1949 | #18 | 17,281 | #754 | 83 |
| 1948 | #20 | 16,121 | #802 | 71 |
| 1947 | #19 | 17,648 | #611 | 124 |
| 1946 | #18 | 17,870 | #534 | 145 |
| 1945 | #14 | 16,150 | #500 | 143 |
| 1944 | #15 | 16,309 | #537 | 128 |
| 1943 | #12 | 17,816 | #462 | 186 |
| 1942 | #12 | 17,750 | #427 | 205 |
| 1941 | #10 | 16,954 | #446 | 174 |
| 1940 | #9 | 17,881 | #389 | 214 |
| 1939 | #5 | 20,447 | #368 | 238 |
| 1938 | #5 | 23,766 | #340 | 265 |
| 1937 | #4 | 26,823 | #293 | 337 |
| 1936 | #2 | 35,161 | #277 | 381 |
| 1935 | #2 | 42,366 | #259 | 435 |
| 1934 | #4 | 22,841 | #318 | 288 |
| 1933 | #9 | 14,320 | #372 | 213 |
| 1932 | #9 | 14,476 | #357 | 242 |
| 1931 | #9 | 14,405 | #362 | 239 |
| 1930 | #11 | 14,775 | #337 | 273 |
| 1929 | #9 | 14,576 | #346 | 263 |
| 1928 | #10 | 14,215 | #370 | 249 |
| 1927 | #9 | 13,314 | #377 | 242 |
| 1926 | #14 | 11,762 | #409 | 214 |
| 1925 | #17 | 10,513 | #402 | 223 |
| 1924 | #19 | 9,489 | #407 | 226 |
| 1923 | #26 | 7,918 | #391 | 231 |
| 1922 | #39 | 6,407 | #398 | 229 |
| 1921 | #44 | 5,695 | #404 | 227 |
| 1920 | #56 | 4,713 | #427 | 196 |
| 1919 | #89 | 3,149 | #418 | 197 |
| 1918 | #97 | 2,654 | #440 | 182 |
| 1917 | #123 | 1,800 | #432 | 172 |
| 1916 | #160 | 1,245 | #447 | 155 |
| 1915 | #162 | 1,135 | #414 | 171 |
| 1914 | #160 | 906 | #402 | 141 |
| 1913 | #169 | 684 | #406 | 113 |
| 1912 | #198 | 489 | #484 | 66 |
| 1911 | #198 | 362 | #497 | 35 |
| 1910 | #202 | 318 | #582 | 24 |
| 1909 | #203 | 281 | #436 | 33 |
| 1908 | #196 | 284 | #541 | 22 |
| 1907 | #207 | 247 | #616 | 17 |
| 1906 | #234 | 187 | #465 | 23 |
| 1905 | #256 | 162 | #592 | 16 |
| 1904 | #268 | 138 | #431 | 24 |
| 1903 | #309 | 102 | #527 | 17 |
| 1902 | #309 | 104 | #440 | 22 |
| 1901 | #305 | 95 | #683 | 10 |
| 1900 | #322 | 110 | #393 | 32 |
| 1899 | #346 | 74 | #521 | 14 |
| 1898 | #372 | 70 | #543 | 15 |
| 1897 | #372 | 61 | #422 | 20 |
| 1896 | #383 | 55 | #641 | 12 |
| 1895 | #433 | 43 | #347 | 28 |
| 1894 | #407 | 47 | #399 | 22 |
| 1893 | #374 | 52 | #479 | 15 |
| 1892 | #346 | 58 | #525 | 15 |
| 1891 | #423 | 35 | #456 | 15 |
| 1890 | #400 | 40 | #415 | 19 |
| 1889 | #371 | 42 | #525 | 13 |
| 1888 | #439 | 32 | #528 | 14 |
| 1887 | #499 | 20 | #631 | 9 |
| 1886 | #556 | 16 | #431 | 17 |
| 1885 | #542 | 16 | #439 | 17 |
| 1884 | #479 | 18 | #570 | 11 |
| 1883 | #451 | 18 | #497 | 13 |
| 1882 | #634 | 9 | #576 | 11 |
| 1881 | — | #706 | 7 | |
| 1880 | #628 | 8 | #600 | 10 |
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 1943
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Virginia#6 · 1 in 40
- Arkansas#6 · 1 in 41
- Tennessee#7 · 1 in 45
- Kentucky#7 · 1 in 49
- Georgia#7 · 1 in 53
Best ever in a state: #1 in Idaho, 1934.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | #6 | 511 | 1 in 41 |
| Virginia | #6 | 749 | 1 in 40 |
| Georgia | #7 | 689 | 1 in 53 |
| Kentucky | #7 | 590 | 1 in 49 |
| Louisiana | #7 | 431 | 1 in 64 |
| Tennessee | #7 | 716 | 1 in 45 |
| Alabama | #8 | 655 | 1 in 52 |
| Florida | #8 | 367 | 1 in 57 |
| Mississippi | #8 | 384 | 1 in 65 |
| North Carolina | #8 | 860 | 1 in 50 |
| Oklahoma | #8 | 478 | 1 in 45 |
| South Carolina | #8 | 428 | 1 in 58 |
| Hawaii | #9 | 61 | 1 in 70 |
| Texas | #9 | 1,024 | 1 in 73 |
| Vermont | #9 | 50 | 1 in 52 |
| Idaho | #11 | 74 | 1 in 61 |
| Maryland | #11 | 307 | 1 in 61 |
| South Dakota | #11 | 95 | 1 in 53 |
| West Virginia | #11 | 374 | 1 in 52 |
| Arizona | #12 | 78 | 1 in 83 |
| Missouri | #12 | 604 | 1 in 54 |
| North Dakota | #12 | 95 | 1 in 55 |
| Colorado | #13 | 155 | 1 in 67 |
| Oregon | #14 | 162 | 1 in 65 |
| Delaware | #16 | 34 | 1 in 68 |
| Kansas | #16 | 226 | 1 in 65 |
| Montana | #16 | 56 | 1 in 76 |
| Indiana | #17 | 413 | 1 in 79 |
| Michigan | #17 | 720 | 1 in 78 |
| Ohio | #17 | 887 | 1 in 73 |
| Pennsylvania | #17 | 1,022 | 1 in 88 |
| California | #18 | 858 | 1 in 91 |
| District of Columbia | #18 | 106 | 1 in 91 |
| Nevada | #18 | 14 | 1 in 63 |
| Washington | #19 | 234 | 1 in 79 |
| Wisconsin | #19 | 356 | 1 in 79 |
| Wyoming | #19 | 26 | 1 in 73 |
| Iowa | #20 | 246 | 1 in 84 |
| Nebraska | #20 | 140 | 1 in 73 |
| Maine | #21 | 75 | 1 in 103 |
| Minnesota | #21 | 287 | 1 in 88 |
| Illinois | #22 | 719 | 1 in 97 |
| New Hampshire | #23 | 42 | 1 in 91 |
| New Mexico | #25 | 50 | 1 in 123 |
| Connecticut | #26 | 151 | 1 in 108 |
| Utah | #27 | 64 | 1 in 108 |
| Alaska | #30 | 6 | 1 in 70 |
| Rhode Island | #34 | 48 | 1 in 128 |
| Massachusetts | #41 | 252 | 1 in 154 |
| New Jersey | #46 | 228 | 1 in 159 |
| New York | #50 | 619 | 1 in 185 |
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
- 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)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1935 at #2 (42,366 births)
- Births halved by 1939, 4 yrs later
- Top 10: 14 yrs · run 1931–1941
- Top 100: 46 yrs · run 1918–1963
- Top 1,000: 127 yrs · run 1882–2005
- Highest: 1 in 25 girls born in 1935 were named Shirley (4.0%)
- Latest: 1 in 12,085 girls born in 2025 (0.01%)
- 33.4% of all girls named Shirley (229,380) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 179 | #371 (1889) | #511 |
| 1890s | 535 | #346 (1899) | #386 |
| 1900s | 1,710 | #196 (1908) | #261 |
| 1910s | 12,742 | #89 (1919) | #156 |
| 1920s | 98,602 | #9 (1929) | #24 |
| 1930s | 229,380 | #2 (1935) | #6 |
| 1940s | 171,780 | #9 (1940) | #15 |
| 1950s | 108,807 | #19 (1950) | #37 |
| 1960s | 38,078 | #70 (1960) | #115 |
| 1970s | 10,520 | #193 (1971) | #262 |
| 1980s | 5,072 | #380 (1980) | #443 |
| 1990s | 3,692 | #509 (1990) | #634 |
| 2000s | 2,735 | #778 (2001) | #913 |
| 2010s | 1,752 | #1,205 (2014) | #1,336 |
| 2020s | 799 | #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 1943
Top girls' names in 1943
Top boys' names in 1943
More about 1943
girls
1,395,293 girls got a published name in 1943; 1 in 78 of them was named Shirley, which outranked 99.8% of the 5,367 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,427,297 boys got a published name in 1943; 1 in 7,674 of them was named Shirley, which outranked 88.6% of the 4,040 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 34.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.