Total births
5,709
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.
- #15433
- among girls today
- 5,709
- born since 1915
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other girls
Shirlee currently ranks #15433 among girls' names in America, with 5,709 babies recorded since 1915.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Shirlee has been recorded 5,709 times among girls since 1915, currently ranked #15433 nationally and more common than 13% of girls, 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.
- #15433 among girls today
- 5,709 born since 1915
- 1930s peak decade
- 13% more common than other girls
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shirlee is currently the #15433 girls' name in America, more common than 13% of girls - 5,709 born since 1915, peaking in the 1930s.
- #15433
- among girls today
- 5,709
- born since 1915
- 1930s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other girls
Shirlee vs. every other girls name in current SSA rankings
#15433
of 17,726 girls in use
More common than 13% of names given to girls today.
1930s
Peak decade
30% of everyone ever named Shirlee was born in this single decade.
1935
Single peak year
340 babies were named Shirlee in 1935 - its busiest year on record.
How Shirlee compares
5,709 Top 12% higher than 88% of 17,726 names currently given to girls
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked girls names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Shirlee's all-time total is 15x the median girls name, and Olivia still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shirlee | Median girls name (Emerly) | #1 girls name (Olivia) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 5,709 | 382 | 567,345 |
| Peak-year births | 340 | 48 | 19,840 |
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 at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1935
Current rank
#15,433
Active since
1915
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized girls names
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% |
Illinois share of Shirlee's total US births 10.8%
Even split
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? ▼
Since 1915, Social Security records show 5,709 babies named Shirlee. Today it holds rank #15433 among girls. Its busiest year on record was 1935, with 340 births.
When was Shirlee most popular? ▼
Shirlee was most popular in the 1930s decade with 1,685 total births. The single peak year was 1935.
Where is Shirlee most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shirlee are Illinois (615 births), California (549 births), Michigan (293 births).
How long has the name Shirlee been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Shirlee since 1915 -- 110 years through the most recent 2024 data.
What names are similar to Shirlee? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Shirley, Shiloh, Shira, Shirlene, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.
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
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare 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
Shirley Girl
#1452 686,383 births
Shiloh Girl
#260 15,117 births
Shira Girl
#2334 5,815 births
Shirlene Girl
4,856 births
Shiela Girl
4,408 births
Compare Shirlee side by side: Shirlee vs Shirley Shirlee vs Shiloh Shirlee vs Shira
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shirlee
Autry #15432
243 births · Peak 1924
Geniva #15434
203 births · Peak 1923
Lolamae #15431
89 births · Peak 1922
Marcellina #15435
299 births · Peak 1976
Karleen #15430
2,766 births · Peak 1964
Meredyth #15436
605 births · Peak 1974
Felisa #15429
2,021 births · Peak 1970
Andree #15437
1,944 births · Peak 1960
Data Sources
Data as of June 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).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shirlee: #15433 Girls' Name - 5,709 Births, Peak 1935." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shirlee. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 June 2026.