Find out how popular the first name Stanley has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Stanley by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Stanley is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named Stanley being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 303 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Stanley.

The history of the first name Stanley

The name Stanley is an English given name derived from the Old English words "stan" meaning stone and "leah" meaning a meadow or clearing. It originates from a place name meaning "stony clearing" or "stone meadow". The name dates back to the 11th century in England.

Stanley was originally a surname before becoming a popular first name. One of the earliest recorded examples is from the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Steinulf at Stanley in Wiltshire. The name remained primarily a locational surname throughout the medieval period.

The name gained prominence in the 13th century through the Stanley family, an English noble house based in Staffordshire. Sir John Stanley was a notable member who served as King of Mann from 1406 to 1437. Another early bearer was Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby (c. 1435-1504), a military commander during the Wars of the Roses.

In the 16th century, the name began transitioning into use as a first name, particularly among the Stanley family and other English nobility. One of the earliest recorded examples is Sir William Stanley (c. 1548-1630), an English soldier and explorer who helped establish the first English settlement in America at Roanoke Island.

Other historical figures named Stanley include explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), best known for his exploration of central Africa and his search for missionary David Livingstone. Another is Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815-1881), a British Anglican bishop and Dean of Westminster Abbey.

Additional notable people with the first name Stanley throughout history include American conductor Stanley Drucker (1929-2022), British actor Stanley Holloway (1890-1982), British musician Stanley Clarke (born 1951), and American baseball player Stanley Coveleski (1889-1984).

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Stanley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Stanley, please contact us.

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