Shirley is a given name and a surname originating from the English place-name Shirley, which is derived from the Old English elements ''scire'' ("shire") or ''scīr'' ("bright, clear") and ''lēah'' ("wood, clearing, meadow, enclosure"). The name makes reference to the open space where the moot (an early English assembly of freemen which met to administer justice and discuss community issues) was held. The surname Shirley became established as a female given name in 1849 due to its use in

Charlotte Brontë Charlotte Nicholls (; 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855), commonly known as Charlotte Brontë (, commonly ), was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë family, Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novel ...

's novel '' Shirley'', in which the character explains that her parents had intended the family surname for a son. It was further popularized in 1851–52 by its pseudonymous use by

California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...

writer Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe (Dame Shirley). It was eventually brought to its highest popularity, in the 1930s, by the fame of child star

Shirley Temple Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple; April 23, 1928 – February 10, 2014) was an American actress, singer, dancer, and diplomat, who was Hollywood's number-one box-office draw as a child actress from 1934 to 1938. Later, she was na ...

Usage

Shirley was a well-used name throughout the

Anglosphere The Anglosphere, also known as the Anglo-American world, is a Western-led sphere of influence among the Anglophone countries. The core group of this sphere of influence comprises five developed countries that maintain close social, cultura ...

during the 20th century. It was among the top 1,000 names used for newborn American girls between 1880 and 2008. It was among the top 100 names between 1918 and 1963 in the United States, and among the ten most popular names for American girls between 1927 and 1941. It reached peak popularity in 1935 and 1936, when it was the second most popular name given to newborn girls there. There were 133 newborn American girls who were given the name in 2022. The name was also among the top 1,000 names given to newborn American boys between 1880 and 1957, though the name was always given to more girls than boys. As a male name, Shirley reached the peak of popularity in 1935, when it was the 259th most popular name given to American boys. The name also ranked among the top 100 names for newborn girls in the United Kingdom between 1934 and 1964, among the top 1,000 names for girls in Canada between 1920 and 1965, among the top 100 names for girls in New Zealand between 1919 and 1964, and among the top 100 names in Australia during the same timeframe, until 1963. It was also among the top 1,000 names given to newborn girls in Brazil between 1930 and 2000, and ranked among the top 500 names for newborn girls in France in 1946 and again between 1974 and 2003.

Given name

Female

Shirley

* Shirley (born 1946), Dutch singer *

Shirley Abicair Shirley Abicair (born 26 October 1930) is an Australian-born singer, musician, television personality, actress and author. In the 1950s and 60s, she was probably best known as an exponent of the zither. Early life Shirley Abicair was born in M ...

(born 1928), Australian singer, musician, actress and author *

Shirley Abrahamson Shirley Schlanger Abrahamson (December 17, 1933December 19, 2020) was the 25th chief justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court. An American lawyer and jurist, she was appointed to the court in 1976 by Governor Patrick Lucey, becoming the first femal ...

(1933–2020), American judge *

Shirley Andrews Shirley Aldythea Marshall Seymour Andrews (5 November 1915 – 15 September 2001) was an Australian biochemist, dancer, researcher and Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal rights activist. Early life and education Andrews was born on November 5, ...

(1915–2001), Australian biochemist * Shirley Annan (1940–2017), New Zealand netball player * Shirley Ardener, Cameroonian researcher * Shirley Armstrong (1930–2018), Irish fencer * Shirley Ascott (1930–1995), British sprint canoer *

Shirley Babashoff Shirley Frances Babashoff (born January 31, 1957) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic champion, and former world record-holder in multiple events. Babashoff set six world records and earned a total of nine Olympic medals in her c ...

(born 1957), American swimmer * Shirley Baker (1932–2014), British photographer *

Shirley Ballas Shirley Annette Ballas (née Rich, formerly Stopford; born 6 September 1960) is an English dancer and television personality. She specialises in the International Latin division, where she won several championship titles which earned her the n ...

(born 1960), English ballroom dancer * Shirley Banfield (born 1937), Australian cricket player * Shirley Barber (1935–2023), English author * Shirley Barker (1911–1965), American author * Shirley Barlow, English classicist *

Shirley Barrett Shirley Barrett (1961 – 3 August 2022) was an Australian film director, screenwriter, and novelist. Initially Barrett was a singer in the band Fruit Pastilles from 1981-83. After ending her time in the band, Barrett went on to write for films. ...

(born 1961), Australian film director * Shirley Barrie (1945–2018), Canadian playwright *

Shirley Bassey Dame Shirley Veronica Bassey (; born 8 January 1937) is a Welsh singer. Known for her career longevity, powerful voice and recording the James Bond music, theme songs to three James Bond films - the only artist to officially perform more than o ...

(born 1937), Welsh singer * Shirley Bear (born 1936), Tobique First Nation artist * Shirley Becke (1917–2011), British police officer * Shirley Berruz (born 1991), Ecuadorian footballer * Shirley Blumberg (born 1952), Canadian architect * Shirley Bond (born 1956), Canadian politician *

Shirley Bonne Shirley Bonne (born Shirley Mae Tanner; May 22, 1934) is an American former film and television actress. She is known for playing the title role in the American sitcom television series ''My Sister Eileen''. Bonne was born in Los Angeles, Calif ...

(born 1934), American actress and model *

Shirley Booth Shirley Booth (born Marjory Ford; August 30, 1898October 16, 1992) was an American actress. One of 24 performers to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, Booth was the recipient of an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards and three Tony Awards. ...

(1898–1992), American actress * Shirley Booz (1927–2009), American model and dancer * Shirley Borhauer (1926–2013), American politician *

Shirley Ayorkor Botchway Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey (born 8 February 1963) is a Ghanaian politician, diplomat and lawyer who has served as the seventh secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations since 1 April 2025. At the time of her appointment, she was Ghana's Mini ...

(born 1963), Ghanaian politician * Shirley Bottolfsen (1934–2021), Irish woman * Shirley Bousquet (born 1976), French actress * Shirley D. Bowler (born 1949), American writer, editor and politician *

Shirley Braha Shirley Braha (born December 26, 1982) is the adoptive owner of popular internet dog Marnie the Dog. She has also been a TV producer and creator of the music television show New York Noise (2003–2010) and MTV Hive's indie music video show Weird ...

(born 1982), American television producer *

Shirley Brasher Shirley Brasher (née Bloomer; born 13 June 1934) is a former tennis player from England who won three Grand Slam titles during her career and who was the top-ranked singles player in her country in 1957. Early life Brasher attended Cleethorpes ...

(born 1934), English tennis player *

Shirley Breeden Shirley Breeden (born 1955) is an American politician who served as a member of the Nevada Senate for the 5th district from 2009 to 2012. Early life and education Breeden was born in Needles, California and raised in Las Vegas. After graduatin ...

, American politician * Shirley Brifman (1935–1972), Australian prostitute and brothel madam * Shirley Briggs (1918–2004), American artist, photographer, writer, and naturalist * Shirley Brill (born 1982), Israeli clarinetist *

Shirley Brown Shirley Brown (born January 6, 1947, West Memphis, Arkansas) is an American R&B singer, best known for her million-selling single " Woman to Woman", which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975. Biography Brown was born in West Memphis, bu ...

(born 1947), American R&B singer *

Shirley Brown (Australian author) Shirley Naomi Brown (née Probert) is an Australian author who has written extensively about the history of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory of Australia. Early life Brown grew up in Burwood in Melbourne, Victoria. She wanted to be a dres ...

(born 1934), Australian author * Shirley Brown (Florida politician), American politician * Shirley Burgess (born 1934), British sprinter *

Shirley Burkovich Shirley Burkovich (February 4, 1933 – March 31, 2022) was an American professional baseball infielder, outfielder and pitcher who played from 1949 through 1951 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Listed at and , she batted ...

(1933–2022), American baseball player * Shirley Burman (born 1934), American photographer *

Shirley Caesar Shirley Ann Caesar-Williams (Birth name, née Caesar; born October 13, 1938), known professionally as Shirley Caesar, is an American Gospel music, gospel singer. Her career began in 1951, when she signed to Federal Records at the age of 12. Thro ...

(born 1938), American gospel singer *

Shirley Cain Shirley Cain (born Shirley Roberts; 30 April 1935) is a British actress of film and television. She graduated from RADA The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, also known by its abbreviation RADA (), is a drama school in London, England, which p ...

(born 1935), British actress * Shirley Aley Campbell (1925–2018), American painter * Shirley Carr (1929–2010), Canadian political leader * Shirley Cawley (born 1932), British athlete *

Shirley Cheechoo Shirley Cheechoo (; born 1952) is a Canadian Cree actress, writer, producer, director, and visual artist, best known for her solo-voice or monodrama play '' Path With No Moccasins'', as well as her work with De-Ba-Jeh-Mu-Jig theatre group. Her ...

(born 1952), Canadian Cree actress, writer, producer, director, and visual artist *

Shirley Chisholm Shirley Anita Chisholm ( ; ; November 30, 1924 – January 1, 2005) was an American politician who, in 1968, became the first black woman to be elected to the United States Congress. Chisholm represented New York's 12th congressional dist ...

(1924–2005), American politician, educator and author, first African-American woman elected to Congress *

Shirley Clamp Shirley Natasja Clamp (born 17 February 1973) is a British-Swedish pop singer. She has achieved four Top 10 singles in Sweden including a Number 1 with " Med hjärtat fyllt av ljus" in 2009, and three Top 10 albums. She has competed seven times ...

(born 1973), Swedish singer * Shirley Bell Cole (1920–2010), American actress *

Shirley Collins Shirley Elizabeth Collins MBE (born 5 July 1935) is an English folk singer who was a significant contributor to the British Folk Revival of the 1960s and 1970s. She often performed and recorded with her sister Dolly, whose accompaniment on ...

(born 1935), English folk singer *

Shirley Collins (politician) Shirley Jean Collins (born October 7, 1952) is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario as a Liberal from 1987 to 1990, and was a Cabinet Minister in the government of David Peterson. Background ...

(born 1952), Canadian politician * Shirley Curry (born 1936), American YouTuber and gamer. *

Shirley Douglas Shirley Jean Douglas (April 2, 1934 – April 5, 2020) was a Canadian actress. Her acting career combined with her family name made her recognizable in Canadian film, television and national politics. Early life Douglas was born April 2, 1934, ...

(1934–2020), Canadian actress and activist * Shirley Duguay (1962–1994), Canadian murder victim *

Shirley Dynevor Shirley Dynevor (; 15 May 1933 – 10 January 2023) was a Welsh actress. She was the grandmother to actresses Phoebe Dynevor and Hattie Dynevor. Early life Shirley Teague was born on 15 May 1933 in Cardiff to Nancy (née Sutton), a nurse, and ...

(1933–2023), Welsh actress *

Shirley Eaton Shirley Jean Eaton (born 12 January 1937) is an English former actress and singer. Eaton appeared regularly in British films throughout the 1950s and 1960s, and gained her highest profile for her appearance as Bond Girl Jill Masterson in the ...

(born 1937), English actress, model and author *

Shirley Englehorn Shirley Ruth Englehorn (December 12, 1940 – October 2, 2022) was an American professional golfer. Nicknamed "Dimples", she won 11 tournaments during her LPGA Tour career, including one major, the 1970 LPGA Championship. Early life and amateu ...

(1940–2022), American golfer * Shirley Adele Field (1923–1995), American politician and judge *

Shirley Anne Field Shirley Anne Field (born Shirley Broomfield; 27 June 1936 – 10 December 2023) was an English actress who performed on stage, film and television from 1955 until her death. She was prominent during the British New Wave. Early life Shirley Bro ...

(1936–2023), English actress *

Shirley Bunnie Foy Shirley Bunnie Foy (October 13, 1936 – November 24, 2016), also known as Bunny Foy, was an American jazz singer, songwriter, and percussionist. Biography Shirley Bunnie Foy was born in Harlem, New York. She was raised in a family of musicia ...

(1936–2016), American singer * Shirley M. Frye, American mathematics educator * Shirley Fulton (1954–2023), Ameeican judge *

Shirley Goodman Shirley Mae Goodman (June 19, 1936 – July 5, 2005) was an American R&B singer, best known as one half of Shirley & Lee, a 1950s duo. Later in her career, she had a resurgence as part of the group Shirley and Company with the disco hit " Sh ...

(1936–2005), American R&B singer, half of the 1950s duo Shirley and Lee *

Shirley Ann Grau Shirley Ann Grau (July 8, 1929August 3, 2020) was an American writer. Born in New Orleans, she lived part of her childhood in Montgomery, Alabama. Her novels are set primarily in the Deep South and explore issues of race and gender. In 1965 she w ...

(1929–2020), American writer * Shirley Brice Heath, American linguistic anthropologist * Shirley Hemphill (1947–1999), American stand-up comedian and actress *

Shirley Henderson Shirley Henderson (born 24 November 1965) is a Scottish actress. Her accolades include two Scottish BAFTAs, a VFCC Award and an Olivier Award, as well as BAFTA, BIFA, London Critics' Circle, Chlotrudis, Gotham, and Canadian Screen Award n ...

(born 1965), Scottish actress * Shirley A. Hokanson (born 1936), American politician and social worker * Shirley Huffman (1928–2018), American politician * Shirley Ann Jackson (born 1946), American physicist *

Shirley Jackson Shirley Hardie Jackson (December 14, 1916 – August 8, 1965) was an American writer known primarily for her works of horror and mystery. Her writing career spanned over two decades, during which she composed six novels, two memoirs, and mor ...

(1916–1965), American writer * Shirley Jefferson (born 1953), American law school administrator and professor * Shirley Johnson (1937–2021), American politician * Shirley Brannock Jones (1925–2019), American judge *

Shirley Jones Shirley Mae Jones (born March 31, 1934) is an American actress and singer. In her six decades in show business, she has starred as wholesome characters in a number of musical films, such as ''Oklahoma! (film), Oklahoma!'' (1955), ''Carousel (fi ...

(born 1934), American singer and actress * Shirley Jülich (born 1949), New Zealand social work academic * Shirley Kallek (1926–1983), American statistician *

Shirley Knight Shirley Knight Hopkins (July 5, 1936 – April 22, 2020) was an American actress who appeared in more than 50 feature films, television films, television series, and Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in her career, playing leading and char ...

(1936–2020), American actress * Shirley Kocaçınar (born 1986), Turkish-Dutch footballer *

Shirley Kwan Shirley Kwan Suk-yee (; born 15 August 1966) is a Hong Kong singer and actress. Kwan first shot to fame in 1989 with the hit " Happy Are Those in Love" () and was widely popular throughout the early to mid-1990s. She is noted for her distinct, wh ...

(born 1966), Hong Kong Cantopop singer * Shirley A. R. Lewis (born 1937), American educator, academic administrator, college president * Shirley Love (born 1940), American opera singer * Shirley McKague (1935–2020), American politician *

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty; April 24, 1934) is an American actress and author. With a career spanning over 70 years, she has received List of awards and nominations received by Shirley MacLaine, numerous accolades, including a ...

(born 1934), American actress * Shirley Mallmann (born 1977), Brazilian model *

Shirley Manson Shirley Ann Manson FRSA (born 26 August 1966) is a Scottish singer, songwriter, and musician who is the lead singer of the rock band Garbage. Known for her distinctive deep voice, forthright style, and rebellious attitude, her accolades include ...

(born 1966), Scottish singer, lead vocalist of the rock band

Garbage Garbage, trash (American English), rubbish (British English), or refuse is waste material that is discarded by humans, usually due to a perceived lack of utility. The term generally does not encompass bodily waste products, purely liquid or ...

Shirley Ardell Mason Shirley Ardell Mason (January 25, 1923 – February 26, 1998) was an American art teacher who was reported to have dissociative identity disorder (previously known as ''multiple personality disorder''). Her life was purportedly described, with ...

(1923–1998), American teacher *

Shirley Muldowney Shirley Muldowney (born June 19, 1940), also known professionally as "Cha Cha" and the "First Lady of Drag racing, Drag Racing", is an American auto racer. She was the first woman to receive a license from the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) ...

(born 1940), American drag racer, first woman to receive a licence to drive a top fuel dragster by the NHRA * Shirley Murray (1931–2020), New Zealand hymn writer *

Shirley Palmer (actress) Shirley Palmer (December 25, 1908 – March 29, 2000) was an American film actress of the 1920s and 1930s, with most of her career being in the silent film era. Born on Christmas Day in Chicago, Illinois, Palmer started her career as a fil ...

(1908–2000), American film actress *

Shirley Palmer (Kansas politician) Shirley Palmer (January 26, 1943 – March 28, 2023) was an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Kansas House of Representatives, represented the 4th district from 2007 to 2011. Palmer ran for re-election in 2010, but was ...

(1943–2023), American politician *

Shirley Phelps-Roper Shirley Lynn Phelps-Roper ( Phelps; born October 31, 1957) is an American lawyer and political activist. She was the lead spokesperson of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas, an organization that protests against homosexuality conduc ...

(born 1957), American lawyer and political activist * Shirley Pitts (1934–1992), English fraudster and thief, the "Queen of shoplifters" * Shirley Price, American politician from Delaware * Shirley B. Randleman (born 1950), American politician * Shirley Rumierk, American actress * Shirley Ann Russell (1935–2002), British costume designer *

Shirley Scheier Shirley Scheier is an American painter and printmaker. She studied at the University of Kansas and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She was the recipient of a MacDowell fellowship in 1994. She taught at the University of Washington from 198 ...

(born 1953), American artist *

Shirley Scott Shirley Scott (March 14, 1934 – March 10, 2002) was an American jazz organist. Her music was noted for its mixture of bebop, blues, and gospel elements. She was known by the nickname "Queen of the Organ". Life and career Scott was born in P ...

(1934–2002), American hard bop and soul-jazz organist *

Shirley Setia Shirley Setia is a New Zealand singer and actress known for her work in the Indian film and music industries. Born in Daman, India, in the former union territory of Daman and Diu, she immigrated with her family to Auckland and gained attentio ...

(), New Zealand singer * Shirley Sherrod, United States government employee who was unjustly fired in 2010 * Shirley Adelson Siegel (1918–2020), American lawyer *

Shirley-Anne Somerville Shirley-Anne Somerville (born 2 September 1974) is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice in the devolved Scottish government since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she has been the Membe ...

(born 1974), British politician * Shirley Soosay (1945–1980), Canadian murder victim *

Shirley Spork Shirley G. Spork (May 14, 1927 – April 12, 2022) was an American professional golfer and one of the founders of the LPGA Tour. Spork finished second at the 1962 LPGA Championship. She worked as a teaching professional for many years and was ...

(1927–2022), American golfer *

Shirley Stelfox Shirley Rosemary Stelfox (11 April 1941 – 7 December 2015) was a British actress, known for her portrayal of the character Edna Birch, a moralising busybody in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'', and as Rose, the vampy sister of the snobby an ...

(1941–2015), English actress *

(1928–2014), American actress, singer, dancer, businesswoman and diplomat * Shirley Jane Turner (1961–2003), Canadian-American murderer * Shirley Carew Titus (1892–1967), American nurse educator * Shirley Ulmer (1914–2000), American screenwriter *

Shirley Walker Shirley Anne Walker (née Rogers; April 10, 1945 – November 30, 2006) was an American film and television composer and conductor. She was one of the few female film score composers working in Hollywood during her career. Walker was one of ...

(1945–2006), American film and television composer * Shirley A. Walters (born 1948), Republican-American business person *

Shirley Williams Shirley Vivian Teresa Brittain Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby (''née'' Catlin; 27 July 1930 – 12 April 2021) was a British politician and academic. Originally a Labour Party (UK), Labour Party Member of Parliament (MP), she served in ...

(1930–2021), Baroness Williams of Crosby, English politician and academic * Shirley Yeung (born 1978), Hong Kong actress * Shirley Yu, Hong Kong actress *

Shirley Zhou Shirley Zhou (born 3 October 1978), born Xueni Zhou (), is an Australian table tennis player who competed at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, officially branded as Sydney 2 ...

(born 1978), Chinese player * Shirley Zussman (1914–2021), American sex therapist

Shirli

* Shirli-Ann Siddall (born 1974), British professional tennis player

Shirlie

* Shirlie Holliman (born 1962), English singer

Shirlee

* Shirlee Busbee (born 1941), American writer * Shirlee Emmons (1923–2010), American opera singer *

Shirlee Taylor Haizlip Shirlee Taylor Haizlip (born 1937) is an American non-fiction author. She has written three books, ''The Sweeter the Juice, A Memoir in Black and White'', ''In the Garden of Our Dreams'', co-authored with her husband, Harold C. Haizlip, and ''Fi ...

(born 1937), American author * Shirlee Matheson (born 1943), American writer *

Shirlee Smith Shirlee Smith is a children's advocate, an opinion columnist and author, and currently the producer and host of her own television show"Talk About Parenting with Shirlee Smith" which debuted in 1994. Smith first gained the public's attention whe ...

, American advocate, columnist and author * Shirlee Zane (born 1959), American politician

Male

* Shirley Abbott (ambassador) (1923–2013), American businessman, diplomat, and politician * Shirley Abbott (footballer) (1889–1947), English footballer * Shirley Clifford Atchley (1871–1936), British diplomat and botanist * Shirley Baker (architect) (1895–1942), American architect *

Shirley Waldemar Baker Shirley Waldemar Baker (1836 – 16 November 1903) was a Methodist missionary in Tonga. He was the founder of the Free Church of Tonga and enjoyed significant influence during the reign of George Tupou I, who made him prime minister. Early lif ...

(1836–1903), English missionary and Prime Minister of Tonga *

Shirley Brooks Charles William Shirley Brooks (29 April 1816 – 23 February 1874) was an English journalist and novelist. Born in London, he began his career in a solicitor's office. Shortly afterwards he took to writing, and contributed to various per ...

(1816–1874), English journalist * Shirley Brick (1898–1929), American football player *

Shirley Burden Shirley Carter Burden (December 9, 1908 – June 3, 1989) was an American photographer, author of picture essays on racism, Catholicism, and history of place. He served on advisory committees of museums, including the Santa Barbara Museum of Art ...

(1908–1989), American photographer * Shirley Burden Jr. (1941–1996), American politician * Shirley Jackson Case (1872–1947), American historian and liberal theologian *

Shirley Corea Srikumaradas Charles Shirley Corea (7 March 1906 – 5 March 1974) was a Sri Lankan politician. He was the 9th Speaker of the Parliament and a Member of Parliament, representing Chilaw. He was a member of the United National Party of Sri Lan ...

(1906–1974), Sri Lankan politician * Shirley Clarke (cricketer) (born 1977), Barbarian cricketer * Shirley Clay (died 1951), American jazz trumpeter *

Shirley Crabtree Shirley Crabtree Jr. (14 November 1930 – 2 December 1997), better known as Big Daddy, was an English professional wrestler. He worked for Joint Promotions and the original British Wrestling Federation. Initially appearing on television as a he ...

(1930–1997), English professional wrestler *

Shirley Davidson Shirley Davidson (September 23, 1874 – August 5, 1907) was a Canadians, Canadian ice hockey player for the Montreal Victorias during the late 19th century. He was a member of several Stanley Cup Championship teams in the 1895, 1896 and 1897 AHA ...

(1874–1907), Canadian ice hockey player * Shirley Gill (born 1918), Barbarian cricketer *

Shirley Gillilland Shirley Gillilland (14 December 1856 – 6 December 1927) was an American politician. Gillilland was born on 14 December 1856 in Mills County, Iowa. He earned a degree in liberal arts at the University of Iowa in 1879, and enrolled at the school's ...

(1856–1927), American politician * Shirley Griffith (1907–1974), American male blues singer and guitarist * Shirley Griffiths (1930–2015), Barbarian cricketer * Shirley Guthrie (1927–2004), American Presbyterian minister and author *

Shirley Hibberd James Shirley Hibberd (1825 – 16 November 1890) was one of the most popular and successful gardening writers of the Victorian era. He was a best-selling editor of three gardening magazines, including '' Amateur Gardening'', the only 19th-cen ...

(1825–1890), English writer * Shirley Hubbard (1885–1962), English professional footballer * Shirley Jeffries (1886–1963), Australian rules footballer and politician * Shirley "Shirl" Jennings (1940–2003), one of the few people to regain his sight after nearly lifelong blindness * Shirley S. Kastor (1895–1936), American politician *

Shirley Love (politician) Shirley D. Love (May 15, 1933 – July 17, 2020) was an American politician and broadcast journalist who served as a member of both chambers of the West Virginia Legislature. Career Love served as a member of the West Virginia House of Delega ...

(1933–2020), American politician and broadcaster journalist * Shirley Majors (1913–1981), American football and baseball coach * Shirley Hall Nichols (1884–1964), American bishop *

Shirley Palmer (physician) Shirley Palmer, (1786–1852) was an English physician and medical writer. Life Born at Coleshill, Warwickshire, 27 August 1786, Shirley Palmer was the son of Edward Palmer, solicitor, by his second wife, Benedicta Mears. His early educatio ...

(1786–1852), English physician and medical writer * Shirley W. Palmer-Ball (1930–2012), American politician *

Shirley Perera Shirley Perera was a popular announcer of the 1960s and 1970s in Radio Ceylon - the oldest radio station in South Asia. Perera presented some of the well known radio programmes of the station including 'You call the Tune.' Millions of listeners t ...

, Sri Lankan announcer * Shirley Petway (1908–1984), American baseball player and catcher *

Shirley Povich Shirley Lewis Povich (July 15, 1905 – June 4, 1998) was an American sportswriter and columnist who spent his entire 1923–1988 career with ''The Washington Post''. Known for his sports coverage, Povich also served as a World War II war corresp ...

(1905–1998), American sports columnist and reporter * Shirley Leon Quimby (1893–1986), American physicist * Shirley Reynolds (1873–1946), English rugby union player *

Shirley Simons Thomas Shirley Simons, Sr. (March 12, 1897 – August 1, 1963), commonly known as Shirley Simons was a prominent architect of Tyler, Texas. He was born in 1897 at Taylor, Texas, and raised in Fort Worth, Texas. He graduated from Rice Insti ...

(1897–1963), American architect *

Shirley Strachan Graeme Ronald Strachan (pronounced "Strawn") (2 January 195229 August 2001), professionally billed and known as "Shirley" Strachan or Shirl, was an Australian singer, songwriter, radio and television presenter, and carpenter. He was the lead si ...

(1952–2001), American singer, songwriter, radio and television presenter, and carpenter * Shirley Waijayantha (born 1956), Sri Lankan musician and music illustrator * Shirley Wilson (1925–2021), American football coach * Shirley W. Wynne (1882–1942), Former New York City Health Commissioner

Surname

Shirley is a surname, with pockets of Shirleys living in

New Hampshire New Hampshire ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

Kentucky Kentucky (, ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north, West Virginia to the ...

Mississippi Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

Tennessee Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...

, Canada, New Zealand,

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

, and parts of Great Britain. A work on the genealogy of the various branches of the Shirley family was published as ''Stemmata Shirleiana'' by E. P. Shirley in 1841. Their name comes from having lived in the parish of Shirley found in the counties of

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...

, Surrey,

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

and the West Midlands. *

Anne Shirley (actress) Anne Shirley (born Dawn Evelyn Paris; April 17, 1918 – July 4, 1993) was an American actress. Beginning her career as a child actress under the stage name Dawn O'Day, she adopted the stage name of Anne Shirley after playing the titular charact ...

(1918–1993), American actress born Dawn Evelyeen Paris *

John Shirley John Shirley (born February 10, 1953) is an American writer, primarily of horror, fantasy, science fiction, noir fiction, westerns, and songwriting. He has also written one historical novel, a western about Wyatt Earp, ''Wyatt in Wichita'', and ...

(born 1953), American author of science-fiction, horror, thrillers, westerns, scripts, non-fiction, and lyrics. *

Bob Shirley Robert Charles Shirley (born June 25, 1954) is a former professional baseball pitcher. He played all or parts of 11 seasons in Major League Baseball, from 1977 to 1987, for the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Cincinnati Reds, New York Yank ...

(born 1954), American baseball player * Craig Shirley (born 1956), American author, lecturer, historian and public affairs consultant * David A. Shirley (1934–2021), American chemist *

Don Shirley Donald Walbridge Shirley (January 29, 1927 – April 6, 2013) was an American classical and jazz pianist and composer. He recorded many albums for Cadence Records during the 1950s and 1960s, experimenting with jazz with a classical influen ...

(1927–2013), American-Jamaican jazz pianist and composer * Edwin Shirley (1948–2013), English Rock and Roll tour organiser *

James Shirley James Shirley (or Sherley) (September 1596 – October 1666) was an English dramatist. He belonged to the great period of English dramatic literature, but, in Charles Lamb (writer), Charles Lamb's words, he "claims a place among the worthies of ...

(1596–1666), English dramatist *

Jerry Shirley Jeremy Duncan Tipson Shirley (born 4 February 1952), known professionally as Jerry Shirley, is an English rock drummer, best known as a member of the band Humble Pie (band), Humble Pie, appearing on all their albums. He is also known for his wor ...

(born 1952), English rock drummer *

Kellie Shirley Kelly Jane Shirley (born 11 July 1981) is an English actress who works in film, television, theatre and radio. She is known for her roles as Kirsty De La Croix in Sky One comedy series ''In the Long Run'' and Carly Wicks in the BBC soap opera ' ...

(born 1981), English actress *

Kevin Shirley Kevin Shirley, also known as The Caveman, is a South African music producer, engineer, audio mixer, and musician. He has produced music for many artists, including Silverchair, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, The Hoodoo Gurus, The Angels, and C ...

(born 1960), South African music producer * Paul Shirley (born 1977), American basketball player and writer *

Sewallis Shirley (MP) Sewallis Evelyn Shirley DL, JP (15 July 1844 – 7 March 1904), was a British politician. He is best known as the founder of the Kennel Club in Britain in 1873. Background and education A member of the Shirley family headed by the Earl Fer ...

(1844–1904), British politician and founder of

The Kennel Club The Royal Kennel Club (KC) is the official kennel club of the United Kingdom. It is the oldest recognised kennel club in the world. Its role is to oversee various canine activities including dog shows, dog agility and working trials. It also ...

Simon Shirley Simon Shirley (born 3 August 1966 in Nottingham, United Kingdom) is a retired decathlete who competed for Australia at the 1986 Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland, and at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Korea, and for England at ...

(born 1966), Australian decathlete *

Steve Shirley Dame Vera Stephanie "Steve" Shirley (previously Brook, née Buchthal; born 16 September 1933) is an information technology pioneer, businesswoman and philanthropist (naturalised British in 1951). Early life Shirley was born as Vera Buch ...

(born Vera Stephanie Shirley in 1933), British information technology pioneer, businesswoman and philanthropist *

William Shirley William Shirley (2 December 1694 – 24 March 1771) was a British colonial administrator who served as the governor of the British American colonies of Massachusetts Bay and the Bahamas. He is best known for his role in organizing the succ ...

(1694–1771), British colonial governor of Massachusetts

Fictional characters

*Anne Shirley, the title character in ''

Anne of Green Gables ''Anne of Green Gables'' is a 1908 novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery (published as L. M. Montgomery). Written for all ages, it has been considered a classic children's novel since the mid-20th century. Set in the late 19th century, t ...

'', a 1908 novel by Lucy Maude Montgomery, as well as numerous adaptations **Shirley Blythe, Anne's son, in '' Anne of Ingleside'', '' Rainbow Valley'', and '' Rilla of Ingleside'', the sequels to ''

'', all by Lucy Maude Montgomery, as well as adaptations * Miss Shirley Brahms, a fictional character in the British sitcom ''

Are You Being Served? ''Are You Being Served?'' is a British television sitcom that was broadcast from 1972 to 1985. It was created and written by David Croft (TV producer), David Croft and Jeremy Lloyd. Croft also served as executive producer and television directo ...

'' *

Shirley Carter Shirley Carter is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'', played by Linda Henry. She first appeared on 7 December 2006, during episodes set in Dorset. This is Henry's second role in 'EastEnders', as she previously p ...

, a fictional character in the British soap opera ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a British television soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the East End of London, the ...

'' * Shirley Duck, the mother of Flick Duck in " PB&J Otter" *Shirley the Loon, in ''

Tiny Toon Adventures ''Tiny Toon Adventures'' is an American animated television series created by Tom Ruegger and produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It originally aired from September 14, 1990 to December 6, 1992, airing in syndication before eventually settling a ...

'' * Shirley Fenette, a character in the anime ''

Code Geass , often referred to as ''Code Geass'', is a Japanese anime television series produced by Sunrise. It was directed by Gorō Taniguchi and written by Ichirō Ōkouchi, with original character designs by Clamp. Set in an ...

'' *Shirley, a.k.a. Charlotte E. Yeager, a character from the mixed-media franchise ''

Strike Witches is a Japanese media mix franchise originally created by Fumikane Shimada via a series of magazine illustration columns. The illustrations have since inspired several official light novel, manga, and anime series and v ...

'' *Shirley, a fictional character in ''

The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour ''The Jimmy Timmy Power Hour'' is an American trilogy of crossover television specials between the animated television series '' The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius'' and ''The Fairly OddParents''. Consisting of ''The Jimmy Timmy Powe ...

3'' *Shirley, a hairdresser in the videogame ''

MySims ''MySims'' is a video game developed by EA Redwood Shores and published by Electronic Arts as a spin-off to Maxis's ''The Sims'' franchise for the Wii and Nintendo DS in September 2007, re-released for Microsoft Windows and mobile phones in 200 ...

'' *Shirley Fennes, a character in the videogame ''

Tales of Legendia is an action role-playing game that was developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2. It is the tenth main title in their ''Tales (video game series), Tales'' series. Originally released in Japan in August 2005, it was later made avai ...

'' *Shirley Feeney, titular character in ''

Laverne & Shirley ''Laverne & Shirley'' is an American television sitcom that ran for eight seasons on American Broadcasting Company, ABC from January 27, 1976, to May 10, 1983. A spin-off of ''Happy Days'', ''Laverne & Shirley'' stars Penny Marshall and Cindy Wi ...

'' *Shirley Ghostman,

Marc Wootton Marc James Wootton (born 8 February 1975) is an English actor, comedian and writer. He is best known for his role as Mr Poppy in the '' Nativity!'' film series. He also starred in the television series '' High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman'', ...

's character in ''

High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman ''High Spirits with Shirley Ghostman'' is a British television comedy show broadcast on BBC Three and featuring character comedian Marc Wootton who plays an effete and slightly vicious medium/psychic. It is narrated by Patrick Stewart, with anim ...

'' *Shirley Keeldar, titular character in the Charlotte Brontë novel '' Shirley'' *Shirley Partridge, the main character in ''

The Partridge Family ''The Partridge Family'' is an American musical sitcom created by Bernard Slade, which was broadcast in the United States from September 1970 to March 1974 on American Broadcasting Company, ABC. After the final first-run telecast on ABC in March ...

'' *Shirley Sheridan, a character in the 1934 American romantic musical movie '' The Cat and the Fiddle'' *Shirley, one of the main characters of ''

Shaun the Sheep ''Shaun the Sheep'' is a British stop-motion animated silent children's television series which is produced by Aardman Animations. A spin-off in the '' Wallace & Gromit'' franchise, the series focuses on the adventures of Shaun, the eponymou ...

'' *Shirley, an elderly female bird in ''

The Angry Birds Movie ''The Angry Birds Movie'' is a 2016 animated comedy film based on Rovio Entertainment's ''Angry Birds'' franchise, produced by Columbia Pictures and Rovio Animation, and distributed by Sony Pictures Releasing. The film was directed by Clay Kay ...

'' *The title character of the ''

Shirley Valentine ''Shirley Valentine'' is a one-character play by Willy Russell. Taking the form of a monologue by a middle-aged, working class Liverpool housewife, it focuses on her life before and after a transforming holiday abroad. Plot Wondering what ha ...

'' and its film adaptation

References

{{given name, type=both English feminine given names English unisex given names English-language unisex given names Masculine given names Feminine given names English toponymic surnames