Shelley (name)

Shelley
Pronunciation	/ˈʃɛli/
Gender	Unisex
Language(s)	English
Origin
Language(s)	English
Word/name	Shelley (various places)
Derivation	Old English: scylf + lēaf
Meaning	'clearing on a bank/shelf'
Region of origin	England
Other names
Variant form(s)	Shelly
Related names	Shirley, Michelle, Michel, Michele, Sheldon, Shelton, Rachelle, Rochelle, Shel

Shelley is a given name and surname. In many baby name books, Shelley is listed as meaning 'meadow's edge' or 'clearing on a bank'. It is Old English in origin. As with many other names (Courtney, Ashley, etc.), Shelley is today a name given almost exclusively to girls after historically being male. It is commonly used as a nickname for Michelle (and formerly as a variant of Shirley). Shelley is also a transferred surname used by those in Essex, Suffolk and Yorkshire, particularly in settlements where a wood/clearing was beside a ledge or hillside. Shelly is a common alternative spelling. It is featured in tile on the ceiling of the Library of Congress in Washington D.C.^{[clarification needed]}

Notable people with the name include:

^ Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (1988). A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press. p. 488. ISBN 0-19-211592-8. Retrieved 19 November 2024 – via Internet Archive.

[1] Hanks, Patrick; Hodges, Flavia (1988). A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press. p. 488. ISBN 0-19-211592-8. Retrieved 19 November 2024 – via Internet Archive.

[1]