Shirl
Shirl is a given name, often a short form (hypocorism) of Shirley. It may refer to:
Meaning & Origin of Shirl
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shirl is a given name, often a short form (hypocorism) of Shirley. It may refer to:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Shirl
As a girl name
Shirl first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1934, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1964: 210 births, good for #714 nationwide. The 1960s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 60% of all recorded Shirls. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1983 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 1K Shirls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1930s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Shirl as a boy name dates back to 1915, when 11 babies received it. 1938 was its biggest year on record, with 22 newborns named Shirl — #1,439 in the national rankings. The 1930s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 28% of all recorded Shirls. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1966 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 448 Shirls have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shirl
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shirl is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shirl
What does the name Shirl mean?
How popular is Shirl in 2026?
When was Shirl most popular?
In which U.S. states is Shirl most popular?
Is Shirl a unisex name?
What names go well with Shirl?
About the name Shirl
Shirl is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1934 and has accumulated 1K births in the dataset. Shirl's peak popularity came in 1964 when it ranked #714. Use the chart and map above to compare Shirl's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1964 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.