Shirleymae
Combination of feminine names Shirley and Mae of English origin.
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Shirleymae. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Shirleymae today is around 101 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shirleymae births was 1928 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shirleymae. 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
- • The typical person named Shirleymae is about 101 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Shirleymaes were born before 1935.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Shirleymae. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1928
14 babies that year
Average age
101
years old
1937 SSA rank
#3,753
Tracked since 1923
Popularity
Shirleymae: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shirleymae from the 1920s through to the 1930s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 38 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
Shirleymae 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 Shirleymae during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shirleymaes live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shirleymae
The name Shirleymae is a compound name composed of two distinct elements, Shirley and Mae. The first part, Shirley, is an English surname derived from the Old English words "scīr" meaning "bright" and "lēah" meaning "meadow." It likely originated as a place name for a bright, open meadow. The earliest recorded use of Shirley as a given name dates back to the late 16th century.
The second part of the name, Mae, is a variant spelling of the name May, which is derived from the Latin name Maia, the Roman goddess of spring and growth. The name May has been used as a given name since the Middle Ages, often as a reference to the month of May or as a symbol of rebirth and renewal.
While the compound name Shirleymae is relatively uncommon, it may have been formed by combining the two names Shirley and Mae, potentially as a way to create a unique and distinctive name. However, there is little documented historical evidence or records of the specific origin and meaning of the compound name Shirleymae.
In terms of notable historical figures with the name Shirley or Mae, one can mention Shirley Temple (1928-2014), the famous American child actress and diplomat. Another is Mae West (1893-1980), the iconic American actress, playwright, and sex symbol. Shirley Chisholm (1924-2005) was the first African American woman elected to the United States Congress. Mae Jemison (born 1956) is an American engineer, physician, and former NASA astronaut, becoming the first African American woman to travel into space in 1992. Shirley Jackson (1916-1965) was an influential American author known for her works of horror and mystery, including the famous short story "The Lottery."
While there may be other individuals throughout history who have borne the name Shirleymae, the compound name appears to be relatively uncommon, and there is limited historical information available about its specific origins and meaning. However, the individual components of the name, Shirley and Mae, have rich histories and cultural significance that contribute to the overall essence of the compound name.
People
Shirleymae + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shirleymae as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shirleymae: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shirleymae?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shirleymae 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 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Shirleymae a common name?
We classify Shirleymae as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 71 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shirleymae most popular?
The single biggest year for Shirleymae was 1928, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shirleymae is about 101 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shirleymae a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shirleymae 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.
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.