Girls' name · since 1915
Shirlee
Since 1915, U.S. Social Security records show 5,709 babies named Shirlee, peaking in 1935. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,351 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 5,709
- born since 1915
- 1930s
- peak decade
5,709 girls have been named Shirlee since 1915, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shirlee has been recorded 5,709 times among girls since 1915, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1930s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 2024.
- #2,351 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 5,709 born since 1915
- 1930s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shirlee ranks #2,351 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 5,709 born since 1915, peaking in the 1930s.
- #2,351 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 5,709
- born since 1915
- 1930s
- peak decade
Shirlee's 5,709 recorded births place it above 96.75% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
30 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Illinois.
Shirlee's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Shirlee's SSA record in two at 1956 and the more recent half accounts for 16% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 84%, consistent with a name more common in the past than in recent years. Its calmest year was 1979, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1935 peak of 340, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Shirlee popularity over time - girls
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–2024
- Peak year (1935)
- 340
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Shirlee popularity over time - boys
5 total births recorded since 1929 (Shirlee as boys' name)
Shirlee by decade
1930s is the heaviest window (1,685 births, 30% of the file).
1930s was Shirlee's strongest decade.
1,685 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 30% of all-time use.
Shirlee births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 103
1910s
103 births
- 1920s
1920s
1,506 births
- 1930s
1930s
1,685 births
- 1940s
1940s
1,049 births
- 1950s
1950s
786 births
- 1960s 332
1960s
332 births
- 1970s 105
1970s
105 births
- 1980s 82
1980s
82 births
- 1990s 41
1990s
41 births
- 2000s 15
2000s
15 births
- 2020s 5
2020s
5 births
What this shows Peak: 1930s at 1,685 births (30% of all-time use).
How Shirlee compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Shirlee's total volume
Shirlee by state
Where Shirlee concentrates geographically, total births since 1915
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Illinois | | 615 | 10.8% |
| #2 | California | | 549 | 9.6% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 293 | 5.1% |
| #4 | Ohio | | 280 | 4.9% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 276 | 4.8% |
| #6 | Iowa | | 191 | 3.3% |
| #7 | New York | | 188 | 3.3% |
| #8 | Minnesota | | 167 | 2.9% |
615 of 5,709 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 30 reporting states.
Shirlee appears in 30 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shirlee? ▼
Where does Shirlee sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Shirlee most popular? ▼
Where is Shirlee most popular? ▼
How long has the name Shirlee been used? ▼
What names are similar to Shirlee? ▼
What to do with Shirlee's data
- Shirlee's decade-level peak was the 1930s (1,685 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Illinois records the most Shirlees (615 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Illinois names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shirlee
Nearby Names Like Shirlee
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shirlee
Compare Shirlee side by side: Shirlee vs Shirley Shirlee vs Shiloh Shirlee vs Shira
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Shirlee: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1935)
Similar record span (~109 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1915–2024 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Shirlee draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.