Shelley is a given name and surname. In many baby name books, ''Shelley'' is listed as meaning "meadow’s edge" or "clearing on a bank". It is Old English in origin. As with many other names (Courtney, Ashley, etc.), Shelley is today a name given almost exclusively to girls after historically being male. It is commonly used as a nickname for ''Michelle'' (and formerly as a variant of ''Shirley''). Shelley is also a transferred surname used by those in Essex, Suffolk and Yorkshire, particularly in settlements where a wood/clearing was beside a ledge or hillside. ''Shelly'' is a common alternative spelling. It is featured in tile on the ceiling of the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. Notable people with the name include:

Surname

Adolphus Edward Shelley Adolphus Edward Shelley (1812 – May 29, 1854) was an early British colonial official and the first Auditor-General in British Hong Kong. Early life Shelley was the third son of Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet in Michelgrove, Sussex, England. He m ...

(1812–1854), the first Auditor-General in British Hong Kong *

Alex Shelley Patrick Kenneth Martin (born May 23, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and physical therapy clinician, better known by the ring name, Alex Shelley, makes appearances with Impact Wrestling (formerly known as Total Nonstop Action Wrestl ...

(born 1983), stage name of American wrestler Patrick Martin * Alexander Shelley (born 1979), English conductor * Arthur Shelley (fl.1905), British footballer * Barbara Shelley (1932–2021), English actress *

Bert Shelley Frederick Albert "Bert" Shelley (11 August 1899 – 29 December 1971) was an English footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton, for whom he made nearly 450 appearances, before becoming a coach at Southampton. His total of 448 appeara ...

(1899–1971), English footballer *

Brian Shelley Brian Shelley (born 15 November 1981) is an Irish football player-coach for Waitakere United. Besides the Republic of Ireland, he has played in New Zealand. He began his career at Shamrock Rovers but moved to rivals Bohemians in 2000. He made ...

(born 1981), Irish footballer *

Burke Shelley John Burke Shelley (10 April 1950 – 10 January 2022) was a Welsh musician, best known as the lead vocalist and bassist of the rock band Budgie. Musical career In 1967, Cardiff-born Shelley co-founded the band Hills Contemporary Grass with ...

(1950-2022), Welsh musician, member of rock group Budgie * Sir Bysshe Shelley, 1st Baronet (1731–1815), grandfather of Percy Bysshe Shelley *

Carla Shelley Carla Shelley (born 26 June 1965) is an English producer for Aardman Animations and Birdbox Studio. She produced '' A Close Shave'', ''Humdrum'', '' Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit'', '' Arthur Christmas'', and '' Early Man''. ...

(born 1965), film producer * Carole Shelley (1939–2018), English actress *

Cindy Shelley Cynthia Shelley (born 23 March 1960 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is an English actress, known for her roles in two BBC television dramas of the 1980s: Alice Courtenay in '' Tenko'' and Abby Urquhart in ''Howards' Way''. Career Shelley made her telev ...

(born 1960), British actress *

Danny Shelley Daniel Steven Shelley (born 28 December 1990) is an English footballer who plays for Leek Town in the Northern Premier League The Northern Premier League is an English football league that was founded in 1968. It has four divisions: the ...

(born 1990), English footballer *

David Shelley David Joseph Shelley (November 23, 1957 – August 10, 2015) was an American blues rock musician who performed with Cher and released two critically acclaimed albums, ''That's My Train'' (2012) and ''Trick Bag'' (2013). Biography Early years Dav ...

(1957–2015), American blues rock musician *

David Shelley (publisher) David Shelley is a British publisher who is Chief Executive Officer of Hachette UK, the second-largest trade publisher, with divisions including Hodder & Stoughton, Orion, Headline, John Murray, and Little, Brown. Shelley is also Vice-Presi ...

, British book publisher * Deck Shelley (1906–1968), American football player *

Duke Shelley YaQuis Bertron "Duke" Shelley (born October 8, 1996) is an American football cornerback for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Kansas State. Early life & high school Shelley grew up in Tucke ...

(born 1996), American football player *

Elbert Shelley Elbert Vernell Shelley (born December 24, 1964) is a former football player who was a safety for the Atlanta Falcons. He went to the Pro Bowl four times as a special teams player. Shelley's hometown is Trumann, Arkansas. He was an honor student ...

(born 1964), American football player *

Sir Frederic Shelley, 8th Baronet Reverend Sir Frederic Shelley, 8th Baronet (1809–1869), of Little Fulford, Shobrooke Park, Crediton, Devon, was a cleric and landowner. Origins He was the second son of Sir John Shelley, 6th Baronet (1772–1852) of Michelgrove and Maresfiel ...

(1809–1869), cleric and landowner * George Shelley (singer) (born 1993), English singer, member of group Union J *

George Ernest Shelley Captain George Ernest Shelley (15 May 1840 – 29 November 1910) was an English geologist and ornithologist. He was a nephew of the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley was educated at the Lycée de Versailles and served a few years in the Grenad ...

(1840–1910), English geologist and ornithologist *

George M. Shelley George Madison Shelley (c. 1850 – January 5, 1929) was the Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri from 1878 to 1879. Early life George Madison Shelley was born in about 1850 in Calloway County, Kentucky. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to K ...

(1849–1927), Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri *

Gerard Shelley George Frankham Shell known as George Gerard Shelley ( Sidcup, Kent 1891 – 24 August 1980) was a British linguist, author and translator who travelled in Imperial Russia before and during the Russian Revolution. He became a priest and lived in ...

(1891–1980), British linguist, author and translator * Gladys Shelley (1911–2003), American lyricist and composer *

Harry Rowe Shelley Harry Rowe Shelley (June 8, 1858 – September 12, 1947) was an American composer, organist (church and concert), and professor of music. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Shelley studied with Gustave J. Stoeckel at Yale College, Dudley Buck, ...

(1858–1947), American composer *

Howard Shelley Howard Gordon Shelley (born 9 March 1950) is a British pianist and conductor. He was educated at Highgate School and the Royal College of Music. He was married to fellow pianist Hilary Macnamara (her death), with whom he has performed and reco ...

(born 1950), British pianist and conductor * Hugh Shelley (1910–1978), American baseball player of the 1930s and 1940s * Jack Shelley (footballer) (1905–1979), Australian footballer * James Shelley (1884–1961), New Zealand university professor *

Jaz Shelley Jazmin Pamela Shelley (born 13 May 2000) is an Australian college basketball player for the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Ten Conference. A point guard, she began her college career at Oregon before transferring to Nebraska after her sophomor ...

(born 2000), Australian basketball player * Jeremy Shelley (born 1990), American football placekicker * Jim Shelley (disambiguation), multiple people * Jody Shelley (born 1976), Canadian ice hockey player * Joe Shelley (1892–1966), Australian footballer * John Shelley (disambiguation), multiple people *

Joshua Shelley Joshua Shelley (born Joshua Kurzweil; January 27, 1920 – February 16, 1990) was one of the actors blacklisted by movie studios as a result of the House Un-American Activities Committee's ( HUAC) investigation of the Communist Party in Hollywoo ...

(1920–1990), American actor *

Kate Shelley Catherine Carroll "Kate" Shelley (December 12, 1863 – January 21, 1912) was a midwestern United States railroad heroine and the first woman in the United States to have a bridge named after her, the Kate Shelley High Bridge. She was also one of ...

(1863–1912), Irish-born US railroad heroine * Kenneth Shelley (born 1951), American figure skater * Kevin Shelley (born 1955), American politician *

Lee Shelley Charles Lee Shelley (born May 17, 1956) is an American fencing, fencer. He competed in the épée events at the 1984 Summer Olympics, 1984 and 1988 Summer Olympics. See also *List of Princeton University Olympians *List of USFA Division I Natio ...

(born 1956), American fencer *

Lilian Shelley Lilian Shelley (born Lilian Milsom 1892, died after 1933) was an artists' model, music hall entertainer, and cabaret singer in London in the 1910s and 1920s, known as "The Bug" or "The Pocket Edition". She posed for Jacob Epstein and Augustus ...

(1892–c.1933), English music hall entertainer *

Louise Shelley Louise Isobel Shelley (born 1952) is a University professor and Omer L. and Nancy Hirst Endowed Chair at the Schar School of Policy and International Affairs at George Mason University in Virginia. She is also founder and executive director of the ...

(born 1952), American university professor * Martha Shelley (born 1943), American writer * Mary Shelley (1797–1851), English writer, author of the novel ''Frankenstein'' * Mary Michael Shelley (born 1950), American folk artist * Michael Shelley (disambiguation), multiple people * Nancy Shelley (died 2010), Australian peace activist * Norman Shelley (1903–1980), English actor * Paul Shelley (born 1942), English actor * Paul Shelley (politician) (born 1959), Canadian politician * Percy Shelley (potter) (1860–1937), English potter *

Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 17928 July 1822) was one of the major English Romantic poets. A radical in his poetry as well as in his political and social views, Shelley did not achieve fame during his lifetime, but recognition of his achie ...

(1792–1822), English poet, husband of Mary Shelley *

Percy Florence Shelley Sir Percy Florence Shelley, 3rd Baronet (12 November 1819 – 5 December 1889) was the son of the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his second wife, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, novelist and author of ''Frankenstein''. He was the only child ...

(1819–1889), son of Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley * Pete Shelley (1955–2018), English musician, lead singer of Buzzcocks *

Peter Shelley Peter Shelley ( Peter Alexander Southworth; 28 February 1943 – 23 March 2023) was a British pop singer, songwriter, and music business executive. As a performer in the 1970s, he had UK hits with "Gee Baby" and "Love Me Love My Dog". He also ...

, British 1970s pop singer *

Rachel Shelley Rachel Shelley (born 25 August 1969) is an English actress and model. She is best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series ''The L Word'' and Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood epic ''Lagaan''. Early life Rachel ...

(born 1969), English actress * Rebecca Shelley (1887–1984), American pacifist *

Rex Shelley Rex Anthony Shelley (27 October 1930 – 21 August 2009) was a Singaporean author. A graduate of the University of Malaya in Malaysia and University of Cambridge, Cambridge trained in engineering and economics, Shelley managed his own busin ...

(1930–2009), Eurasian Singaporean author *

Richard Shelley Richard Shelley (d. in Marshalsea prison, London, probably in February or March, 1586) was an English recusant who presented to Elizabeth I of England, or her Parliament, a petition drawn up to request greater religious tolerance for Roman Cathol ...

(died c.1586), English Catholic under Elizabeth I * Richard Shelley (Grand Prior) (c.1513–c.1589), English diplomat *

Rick Shelley Rick Shelley (January 1, 1947 – January 27, 2001) was an American writer of primarily military science fiction. He was born in Kankakee, Illinois. Bibliography Varayan Memoir Varay is a medieval land situated between our world and the all magi ...

(1947–2001), American science fiction writer * Ronald G. Shelley (1932–2003), philatelist * Samuel Shelley (1750–1808), English miniaturist and water-colour painter * Sidney Patrick Shelley (1880–1965), relative of Percy Bysshe Shelley *

Steve Shelley Steven Jay Shelley (born June 23, 1962) is an American drummer. He is best known as the longtime drummer of the alternative rock band Sonic Youth, for whom he played from 1985 until their 2011 disbandment. Biography Shelley was born in Midland, ...

(born 1962), American drummer, member of group Sonic Youth *

Timothy Shelley Sir Timothy Shelley, 2nd Baronet (7 September 1753 – 24 April 1844) was an English politician and lawyer. He was the son of Sir Bysshe Shelley, 1st Baronet of Castle Goring and the father of Romantic poet and dramatist Percy Bysshe Shelley. ...

(1753–1844), English politician, father of Percy Bysshe Shelley * Walter Shelley, 17th-century politician, colonist of Jamestown, Virginia * Wanda Shelley (born 1969), American television producer * Sir William Shelley (c.1480–1549), English judge *

Shelley baronets There have been three baronetcies created for members of the Shelley family, one in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. The three recipients of the titles represented two different branches of the family wi ...

Given name

Shelley Berman Sheldon Leonard Berman (February 3, 1925 – September 1, 2017) was an American comedian, actor, writer, teacher, and lecturer. In his comedic career, he was awarded three gold records and he won the first Grammy Award for a spoken comedy reco ...

(1925–2017), American comedian and actor *

Shelley Chaplin Shelley Matheson (née Chaplin) (born 4 September 1984) is an Australian 3.5-point player wheelchair basketball player. She participated in the 2004 Summer Paralympics in Athens, where she won a silver medal; in the 2008 Summer Paralympics in ...

(born 1984), Australian wheelchair basketball player * Shelley Duncan (born 1979), former baseball player * Shelley Duvall (born 1949), American actress *

Shelley Hennig Shelley Catherine Hennig (born January 2, 1987) is an American actress and model. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Teen Choice Award and two Daytime Emmy Award nominations. Prior to pursuing an acting career, Hennig compet ...

(born 1987), American actress *

Shelly Hutchinson Rachelle Dinet Hutchinson (born December 9, 1971) is an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, she serves in the Georgia House of Representatives from the 107th District, taking office in January 2019. Early life Shelly Hutchin ...

, American politician * Shelley Jensen, American television director and producer * Shelley Long (born 1949), American actress *

Shelley Malil Shelley Mathew Malil (; born December 23, 1964) is an Indian-American actor. Malil emigrated to the United States in 1974. He appeared in a number of television shows and films, including ''The 40-Year-Old Virgin'' (2005). In 2010, Malil was co ...

(born 1984), Indian American actor *

Shelley Ross Shelley Ross is an American television executive producer, former writer and editor at the ''National Enquirer'', former executive producer of ABC News ''Good Morning America'', and former executive producer at CBS News ''The Early Show''. Career ...

, American television executive producer *

Shelley Rudman Shelley Rudman (born 23 March 1981) is a former skeleton bobsleigh athlete. She was the 2013 world champion in the event, won an Olympic silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in skeleton and is a former World Cup and European champion ...

(born 1981), British athlete *

Shelley Sandie Shelley Ann Gorman-Sandie (born 22 January 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Canberra Capitals. A three-time Olympian she was a member of the national women's team that claimed ...

(born 1969), Australian basketball player * Shelley Steiner (born 1961), Canadian Olympic fencer *

Shelley Tanaka Shelley Tanaka is a Canadian editor of numerous young adult novels, an author of non-fiction for children, a translator, and a writing teacher. Biography Shelley Tanaka was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She received an Honours bachelor's d ...

, Canadian author and editor *

Shelley Tepperman Shelley Tepperman is a Quebec-based Canadian writer and translator. She has been nominated for the Governor General's Award for French to English translation multiple times. Early life and education Tepperman was born in Toronto. She has a BA i ...

, Canadian translator * Shelley Winters (1920–2006), American actress

Code name

F. F. E. Yeo-Thomas Wing Commander Forest Frederick Edward Yeo-Thomas, (17 June 1902 – 26 February 1964), known as "Tommy", was a British Special Operations Executive (SOE) agent in the Second World War. Codenamed "Seahorse" and "Shelley" in the SOE, Yeo-Thomas ...

, S.O.E. operative who had "SHELLEY" as a code name during World War II

Fictional characters

*James Shelley, the title character of '' Shelley (TV series)'' * Shelley Levene, a main character in the stage play ''

Glengarry Glen Ross ''Glengarry Glen Ross'' is a play by David Mamet that won the Pulitzer Prize in 1984. The play shows parts of two days in the lives of four desperate Chicago real estate agents who are prepared to engage in any number of unethical, illegal acts� ...

'', and the 1992 film of the same name *

Shelley Marsh ''South Park'' is an American animated television series created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. The ongoing narrative revolves around five children, Stan Marsh, Eric Cartman, Kyle Broflovski, Kenny McCor ...

, a secondary character on the Comedy Central show ''South Park'' * Shelley Simon, One Tree Hill character *

Shelley Unwin Shelley Unwin (also Barlow) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera ''Coronation Street'', played by Sally Lindsay. She is the daughter of Bev Unwin (Susie Blake). Shelley's storylines included a bigamous marriage to Peter Bar ...

, a character in the British TV series ''Coronation Street'' * Shelley Winters, a main character in the popular webcomic '' Scary Go Round'' * Shelly Johnson, one of the main characters in '' Twin Peaks''

Animals

* Shelley (tortoise), a tortoise on ''Blue Peter''