Lurley
Of English origin, a variant of the name Lurline, derived from the French lore meaning "laurel."
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Lurley. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Lurley today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Lurley births was 1916 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Lurley. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Lurley. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1916
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1923 SSA rank
#5,396
Tracked since 1890
Popularity
Lurley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Lurley from the 1890s through to the 1920s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Lurley by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Lurley during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Lurley
Lurley is a feminine given name of uncertain origin, with various theories proposed regarding its etymology and historical roots. One interpretation suggests that it derives from the Old English word "lufu," meaning love or affection, combined with the suffix "-ley," which could signify a meadow or clearing. This would render Lurley as "a loved or affectionate meadow."
Another theory traces the name's origins to the Old German word "lur," which referred to a type of horn or trumpet used in ancient times. In this context, Lurley might have been associated with someone skilled in playing such an instrument or involved in music or festivities where horns were commonly used.
There are also speculations that Lurley may have evolved from the name "Lorelei," a figure from German folklore associated with a rock formation on the Rhine River. The legend of the Lorelei involves a beautiful siren whose enchanting singing lured sailors to their demise on the treacherous rocks. While the connection is tenuous, some believe Lurley could have been a variation of this mythical name.
Historical records provide little definitive information about the earliest uses of the name Lurley. However, a few notable individuals have borne this moniker throughout history. One such figure was Lurley Maddox (1914-2005), an American country music singer and songwriter known for her collaborations with her husband, Fred Maddox.
Another prominent Lurley was Lurley Chambers (1892-1965), a British actress and dancer who appeared in numerous stage productions and films during the early 20th century. She was particularly renowned for her performances in Edwardian musical comedies.
In the realm of literature, Lurley Stafford (1899-1989) was an American author and poet who gained recognition for her works exploring themes of nature, spirituality, and the human experience. Her collections of poetry, including "Winged Seeds" and "The Listening Heart," garnered critical acclaim.
Lurley Frazier (1920-2009) was an American civil rights activist and educator who dedicated her life to promoting racial equality and educational opportunities for marginalized communities. She played a pivotal role in desegregating schools in her hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas, during the tumultuous era of the civil rights movement.
Finally, Lurley Tulloch (1912-1998) was a Scottish artist and sculptor known for her intricate woodcarvings and sculptures depicting scenes from nature and folklore. Her works were exhibited in galleries across Europe and the United States, earning her recognition as a master of her craft.
People
Lurley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Lurley as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with L
Other first names starting with L with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Lurley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Lurley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Lurley going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Lurley a common name?
We classify Lurley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 16 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Lurley most popular?
The single biggest year for Lurley was 1916, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Lurley is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Lurley in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Lurley a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Lurley in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Lurley still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Lurley in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Lurley can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Lurley?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people share the name Lurley at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.