Shirl
A short form of the female given name Shirley.
Every Shirl since 1915 — 1,771 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Shirl
Shirl is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1915, 1,771 American babies have been named Shirl — about 75% girls and 25% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1964, when 216 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Shirl stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Shirl year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | 8 | #8,054 | — | — |
| 1975 | 16 | #4,104 | — | — |
| 1970 | 19 | #3,419 | — | — |
| 1965 | 91 | #1,108 | — | — |
| 1960 | 46 | #1,670 | 7 | #3,616 |
| 1955 | 21 | #2,461 | 6 | #3,831 |
| 1950 | 24 | #1,997 | 7 | #3,281 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,642 | 6 | #3,286 |
| 1940 | — | — | 11 | #2,303 |
| 1935 | 5 | #4,811 | 15 | #1,911 |
| 1930 | — | — | 7 | #3,545 |
| 1925 | — | — | 11 | #2,727 |
| 1920 | — | — | 9 | #3,178 |
| 1915 | — | — | 11 | #2,434 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Shirl mean?
A short form of the female given name Shirley.
How popular is the name Shirl in 2025?
Shirl did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Shirl?
1,771 babies have been named Shirl in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Shirl most popular?
Shirl peaked in 1964, when 216 newborns received the name.
Is Shirl a boy or girl name?
Shirl is used for both: about 75% of babies named Shirl have been girls and 25% boys.
Is the name Shirl rising or falling?
Shirl has been roughly stable over the past decade.