View Message

I can see it coming back for girls, albeit not to the extent of its peak popularity in the 20s and 30s. As another user said, it did rise a bit last year. It's also a -ley name, and I could see it being used by parents who want a -ley name but want to go with something a little more conservative.

---

For boys, I don't see it ever coming back. Shirley's firmly within female territory. TBH, I can't even picture it on a boy.

It is pretty, but I find Hollywood glamour off-putting. I've always thought it would make a good name for a really fluffy, furry cat. Purry Shirley. Maybe one day!

I’m not a huge fan of Shirley, but I don't think it will come back. It was a recently coined trendy name. Those names usually stay with their generation.

I think it's can come back, but if you look at the numbers. I don't think it will be as popular as it once was, but I think it could be a cute vintage choice.

---

184 baby girls were named Shirley last year, coming up from it's post-peak all-time-low of 164 in 2016 (the last time it was lower than that was 1905). That puts it as more popular in 2017 than Everley or Jazzlyn.

Shirley is an interesting one to me. It was the Ashley of its generations and has always seemed childlike and insubstantial to me, even though it was most popular on women who are now elderly. Names that cycle back tend to be classics (think Jane, Ella, Hazel, and Clara) or have always been rare (Violet, Tessa). Previously “suddenly popular” names are usually gone for good once they fall out of fashion.

---

So yeah, it’s probable that Shirley is going the way of Etheldred and Leofwine (never coming back).