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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201958peak #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 1958

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: #41 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 148 girlsAKMaine: #96 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 369 girlsMEVermont: #80 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 276 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #64 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 233 girlsNHWashington: #119 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 499 girlsWAIdaho: #97 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 349 girlsIDMontana: #57 for girls · 31 births · 1 in 212 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #116 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 442 girlsNDMinnesota: #89 for girls · 98 births · 1 in 385 girlsMNIllinois: #67 for girls · 378 births · 1 in 281 girlsILWisconsin: #102 for girls · 101 births · 1 in 429 girlsWIMichigan: #78 for girls · 301 births · 1 in 306 girlsMINew York: #108 for girls · 353 births · 1 in 481 girlsNYMassachusetts: #107 for girls · 99 births · 1 in 541 girlsMARhode Island: #82 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 335 girlsRIOregon: #68 for girls · 53 births · 1 in 287 girlsORNevada: #56 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 182 girlsNVWyoming: #78 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 273 girlsWYSouth Dakota: #77 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 294 girlsSDIowa: #106 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 466 girlsIAIndiana: #87 for girls · 147 births · 1 in 343 girlsINOhio: #69 for girls · 366 births · 1 in 292 girlsOHPennsylvania: #78 for girls · 362 births · 1 in 320 girlsPANew Jersey: #94 for girls · 146 births · 1 in 394 girlsNJConnecticut: #116 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 539 girlsCTCalifornia: #79 for girls · 458 births · 1 in 356 girlsCAUtah: #110 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 449 girlsUTColorado: #59 for girls · 75 births · 1 in 247 girlsCONebraska: #79 for girls · 43 births · 1 in 323 girlsNEMissouri: #63 for girls · 180 births · 1 in 247 girlsMOKentucky: #48 for girls · 181 births · 1 in 182 girlsKYWest Virginia: #48 for girls · 93 births · 1 in 208 girlsWVVirginia: #33 for girls · 288 births · 1 in 142 girlsVAMaryland: #41 for girls · 164 births · 1 in 183 girlsMDDelaware: #61 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 229 girlsDEArizona: #53 for girls · 65 births · 1 in 216 girlsAZNew Mexico: #37 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 169 girlsNMKansas: #64 for girls · 84 births · 1 in 251 girlsKSArkansas: #21 for girls · 179 births · 1 in 100 girlsARTennessee: #35 for girls · 267 births · 1 in 137 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #31 for girls · 376 births · 1 in 131 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #17 for girls · 324 births · 1 in 83 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #59 for girls · 57 births · 1 in 237 girlsDCOklahoma: #46 for girls · 115 births · 1 in 185 girlsOKLouisiana: #25 for girls · 280 births · 1 in 140 girlsLAMississippi: #7 for girls · 425 births · 1 in 60 girlsMSAlabama: #22 for girls · 325 births · 1 in 111 girlsALGeorgia: #24 for girls · 413 births · 1 in 109 girlsGAHawaii: #57 for girls · 26 births · 1 in 227 girlsHITexas: #54 for girls · 481 births · 1 in 233 girlsTXFlorida: #32 for girls · 300 births · 1 in 158 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Mississippi#7 · 1 in 60
  2. South Carolina#17 · 1 in 83
  3. Arkansas#21 · 1 in 100
  4. Alabama#22 · 1 in 111
  5. Georgia#24 · 1 in 109

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Mississippi#74251 in 60
South Carolina#173241 in 83
Arkansas#211791 in 100
Alabama#223251 in 111
Georgia#244131 in 109
Louisiana#252801 in 140
North Carolina#313761 in 131
Florida#323001 in 158
Virginia#332881 in 142
Tennessee#352671 in 137
New Mexico#37681 in 169
Alaska#41171 in 148
Maryland#411641 in 183
Oklahoma#461151 in 185
Kentucky#481811 in 182
West Virginia#48931 in 208
Arizona#53651 in 216
Texas#544811 in 233
Nevada#56121 in 182
Hawaii#57261 in 227
Montana#57311 in 212
Colorado#59751 in 247
District of Columbia#59571 in 237
Delaware#61201 in 229
Missouri#631801 in 247
Kansas#64841 in 251
New Hampshire#64231 in 233
Illinois#673781 in 281
Oregon#68531 in 287
Ohio#693661 in 292
South Dakota#77241 in 294
Michigan#783011 in 306
Pennsylvania#783621 in 320
Wyoming#78101 in 273
California#794581 in 356
Nebraska#79431 in 323
Vermont#80131 in 276
Rhode Island#82241 in 335
Indiana#871471 in 343
Minnesota#89981 in 385
New Jersey#941461 in 394
Maine#96261 in 369
Idaho#97181 in 349
Wisconsin#1021011 in 429
Iowa#106591 in 466
Massachusetts#107991 in 541
New York#1083531 in 481
Utah#110231 in 449
Connecticut#116451 in 539
North Dakota#116151 in 442
Washington#119571 in 499

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 1958

girls
#52
8,088 births · 1 in 249 girls
boys
#1,049
53 births · 1 in 40,045 boys

Top girls' names in 1958

  1. #1Mary55,848
  2. #2Susan45,175
  3. #3Linda41,904
  4. #4Karen38,487
  5. #5Patricia37,961
  6. #6Debra35,521
  7. #7Deborah32,943
  8. #8Cynthia31,014
  9. #9Barbara27,874
  10. #10Donna26,959
  11. #52Shirley8,088

Top boys' names in 1958

  1. #1Michael90,604
  2. #2David82,681
  3. #3James78,774
  4. #4Robert77,338
  5. #5John76,057
  6. #6William54,254
  7. #7Mark52,698
  8. #8Richard50,007
  9. #9Thomas42,088
  10. #10Steven32,968
  11. #1,049Shirley53
More about 1958

girls

2,011,619 girls got a published name in 1958; 1 in 249 of them was named Shirley, which outranked 99.3% of the 7,030 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 18.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shirley
  1. #49Darlene8,278
  2. #50Connie8,209
  3. #51Terri8,184
  4. #52Shirley8,088
  5. #53Paula8,025
  6. #54Betty7,715
  7. #55Beverly7,679
Biggest movers since 1957
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,133Brigitte#1,904 → #771
  2. ↑ 760Samantha#1,754 → #994
  3. ↑ 709Selena#1,388 → #679
  4. ↑ 672Tambra#1,588 → #916
  5. ↑ 570Bridgette#1,274 → #704
Fallers
  1. ↓ 312Sarita#970 → #1,282
  2. ↓ 311Beryl#910 → #1,221
  3. ↓ 309Sherree#827 → #1,136
  4. ↓ 275Winnie#965 → #1,240
  5. ↓ 236Jacalyn#975 → #1,211

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

boys

2,122,409 boys got a published name in 1958; 1 in 40,045 of them was named Shirley, which outranked 76.7% of the 4,502 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.0% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Shirley
  1. #1,040Noble54
  2. #1,040Olen54
  3. #1,040Walker54
  4. #1,049Shirley53
  5. #1,049Arlan53
  6. #1,049Darrick53
  7. #1,049Darvin53
  8. #1,060Alfonzo52
  9. #1,060Arnie52
  10. #1,060Brice52

Tied with 10 names at #1,049; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1957
Risers
  1. ↑ 742Wayde#1,364 → #622
  2. ↑ 568Maverick#1,364 → #796
  3. ↑ 516Darren#897 → #381
  4. ↑ 435Tobin#1,250 → #815
  5. ↑ 406Dion#928 → #522
Fallers
  1. ↓ 388Claud#957 → #1,345
  2. ↓ 349Ritchie#823 → #1,172
  3. ↓ 333Levon#944 → #1,277
  4. ↓ 320Weston#957 → #1,277
  5. ↓ 297Parker#925 → #1,222

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

See the top 100 for 1958 →