Stanley

Stanley - A very unique male name

Stanley appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #48. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Stanley and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Stanley? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Stanley. The baby boy name Stanley was given to 238 baby boys in 2025, ranking #852 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,161 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Stanley peaked in popularity 111 years ago in 1915 on position 34.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Stanley, 1-5?

Stanley is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Stanley is currently topping the baby name charts in Michigan at position #515 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,545.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Stanley is where you live.

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Stanley origin and meaning

Old English

From an English place name and surname — stan, 'stone', and leah, 'woodland clearing': 'stony meadow'

Stanley is a place in England turned surname turned first name, and for the first half of the 20th century it was a thoroughly mainstream American boy's name, peaking in 1954. It has receded into grandpa territory since, though its friendly short form Stan keeps it feeling approachable.

Attested etymology

Stanley is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Stanley, pop culture references for the name Stanley and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Stanley

We've found the following names that sound similar to Stanley, sorted by popularity.

Stonewall / Stanly /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Stanley

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Stanley a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Stanley?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

STAN-lee · /ˈstænli/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

Nicknames: Stan

Famous bearers

• Stanley Kubrick — Film director of 2001: A Space Odyssey and A Clockwork Orange (1928–1999) Historical
• Stanley Tucci — Actor and food writer (b. 1960) Contemporary

Style

SurnamePlace nameClassic

Why parents choose it

Stanley suits parents who like unshowy, mid-century names with a bit of character — and the easy nickname Stan.

Worth knowing

• It peaked in 1954 and is still falling, so it will mostly be met on older men
• On paper it can be mistaken for a surname or a town