Girl name
Shirley name meaning
“bright clearing, open meadow”
Shirley means “bright clearing” or “open meadow.” It developed from an English place name into a surname and then a given name, combining Old English scīr with lēah. In Türkiye it is feminine. The name evokes a sunlit opening among trees, reflecting its original connection with the landscape.
- Gender
- ♀ Girl
- Origin
- European languages
- Syllables
- 2
- Popularity
- #2,355
What does Shirley mean?
Bright clearing, open meadow
In Turkish: aydınlık açıklık, açık çayırlık
Shirley began as a place name describing a bright woodland clearing. Charlotte Brontë's novel Shirley is a significant literary association in its history as a feminine name. Earlier masculine use also exists; the shift in gender usage did not change its original landscape meaning.
Origin of the name Shirley
Shirley passed from an English place name into surname and given-name use. Its Old English elements mean bright or clear and woodland clearing.
| Linguistic origin | European languages |
|---|---|
| Is Shirley in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | S |
How to pronounce Shirley
| Syllables | 2 · 7 letters · 7-letter girl names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /shiɾlej/ |
Is Shirley a girl’s name?
Yes, Shirley is used mostly as a girl’s name. See all girl names.
Shirley does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Names with related meanings
- Defne♀Bay laurel, an aromatic evergreen tree
- Asel♀Honey, the sweet substance made by bees
- Lina♀A kind of date palm
- Eylül♀September
- Nehir♀River, large flowing stream
- Ada♀İsland
- Ceylin♀Gazelle
- Doğa♀Nature
- Yağmur♀Rain falling as drops of water
- Deniz♂♀Sea, an extensive body of salt water
- Efnan♀Branches, boughs
- Damla♀Small drop of liquid
Famous people named Shirley
- Shirley Kocaçınar · b. 1986
FAQ about the name Shirley
What is the meaning of Shirley?
Shirley means “bright clearing, open meadow”. Shirley passed from an English place name into surname and given-name use. Its Old English elements mean bright or clear and woodland clearing.
Is Shirley a girl’s name?
Yes, Shirley is used mostly as a girl’s name.
Is Shirley in the Quran?
No. Neither the name Shirley nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name Shirley?
Shirley is of European languages origin.
How many syllables does Shirley have?
Shirley has 2 syllables and 7 letters.
How popular is the name Shirley?
Shirley does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Famous people named Shirley?
Notable people named Shirley include Shirley Kocaçınar.
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm11743 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake