Shirley
bright clearing or shire meadow (Old English)
Shirley is a english girl name in the Philippines. In the civil registry as of May 2021 it is number 146, with 49,363 records. It has 2 syllables.
Origin and meaning
bright clearing or shire meadow (Old English)
Shirley originates as an English habitational surname that shifted to a given name, especially after Charlotte Brontë's novel 'Shirley' and later through mid-20th-century pop culture. In the Philippines, it was widely adopted during the American colonial and post-war periods and remains a familiar classic name among older to middle-aged generations.
Derived from an English place name composed of Old English 'scīr' (bright, clear, or shire) and 'lēah' (woodland, clearing, meadow).
Name character
In the Philippines
Commonly used as a standalone first name, though occasionally found in compound pairings (e.g., Shirley Ann, Mary Shirley). Often shortened to nicknames like Shir, Che, or Ley.
Would your family give Shirley?
Mark it if your family would give this first name. The count is for 2026 on this site. It is not the civil registry, and it is not babies registered in 2024. One browser can choose a name once in the year.
No family on this site has marked Shirley for 2026 yet.
Shirley with common surname pairs
Each pair is a mother's maiden surname plus a father's surname. The number is the sound-fit score for this first name.
Related girl names
About the name Shirley
How do I use Shirley with two Filipino surnames?
Shirley is the given name. The full name is Shirley + mother's maiden surname + father's surname. Score a pair from a combination page or the homepage search.
Is Shirley a common girl name in the Philippines?
In the civil registry as of May 2021, Shirley is number 146, with 49,363 records. That is not the 2024 birth list, and it does not say the name is a better choice. How it sounds with both family surnames is a separate score.