Shelley
English · Girl · 2 syllables
Popularity & facts
Relative popularity index, 2010–2025Popularity over time
Popularity indexHistorical popularity from 1880–2025 · US Social Security Administration data
About the name Shelley
Shelley derives from the Old English elements "scylf" (shelf) and "leah" (clearing or meadow), meaning "clearing by the shelf" or "meadow on a ledge," originally referring to a geographical location.
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Etymology
Shelley derives from the Old English elements "scylf" (shelf) and "leah" (clearing or meadow), meaning "clearing by the shelf" or "meadow on a ledge," originally referring to a geographical location. The name became popular in English-speaking countries, particularly Britain and America, and gained literary association through Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley; it has been used across Christian cultures as both a surname and given name since the medieval period.
Shelley currently ranks #8,280 in the United States as a girl's name. It reached its peak popularity around 1964.
Variants & nicknames
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Sibling name ideas
English names that sit beautifully beside ShelleySimilar names you might like
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