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).