boy's name
Stanley
STAN-lee (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 324,915
England and Wales
#97
2025 births
Stanley is a boy's name of Old English origin meaning "stony clearing." It comes from stan, stone, and leah, a woodland clearing, and began as a place name before becoming one of England's great aristocratic surnames.
- Stanley is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1954, when 6,472 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 983 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Stanley Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Stanley is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 997 |
| 1890s | 2,297 |
| 1900s | 4,185 |
| 1910s | 36,048 |
| 1920s | 49,760 |
| 1930s | 37,321 |
| 1940s | 46,454 |
| 1950s | 57,366 |
| 1960s | 30,185 |
| 1970s | 13,322 |
| 1980s | 9,297 |
| 1990s | 6,130 |
| 2000s | 4,127 |
| 2010s | 3,541 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,832 |
What Stanley Means
Stanley means the stony clearing, or the field of stones. Both elements are ordinary Old English landscape words, which is why the name appears in so many English place names independently.
Where Stanley Comes From
Stanley combines the Old English stan, stone, with leah, a clearing in woodland — the same leah that ends Oakley, Bradley and Ashley. Several English villages carry the name, and families took it as a hereditary surname; the Stanleys became Earls of Derby and were decisive at Bosworth in 1485, where their late intervention put Henry Tudor on the throne. The name moved into first-name use in the nineteenth century, helped by Henry Morton Stanley, the journalist who found Livingstone in 1871 — himself born John Rowlands and using an adopted name.
Stanley in Use
Birth records show Stanley stable, peaking in 1954, at 97 in England and Wales against 863 in the United States. It first appears in birth records in 1880. Britain is currently reviving it as part of the same vintage wave as Albert, Alfred and Frederick, while America is not.
How Popular Is Stanley?
In 2025, Stanley was given to 536 babies in England and Wales, ranking #97 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Stanley Is Used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Stanley
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Stanley Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Stanley over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Stanley
- English STAN-lee /ˈstanli/
1 nickname for Stanley
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Stanley in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Other forms
- Forms we hold no single language for — some are used across several, some are simply spelled differently.
- Stanly Stanleigh
Sibling Names for Stanley
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Stanley — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Stanley
What does the name Stanley mean?
Stanley means "stony clearing," from the Old English stan, stone, and leah, a woodland clearing.
Is Stanley a surname?
Originally. The Stanleys became Earls of Derby and were decisive at Bosworth in 1485 before the name moved to first-name use.
Is Stanley coming back?
In Britain, yes — it sits at 97 in England and Wales, part of the same vintage revival as Albert, Alfred and Frederick.
How popular is the name Stanley?
In 2025, Stanley was given to 536 babies in England and Wales, ranking #97 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Stanley a girl's or a boy's name?
Stanley is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Stanley?
Stanley has 2 syllables.
When was Stanley most popular?
Stanley peaked in 1954, when 6,472 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Stanley?
Stanley is usually shortened to Stan.
Is Stanley a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Stanley currently ranks #97 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.