Boy name · Old English
Stanley
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: stone clearingStanley is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "stone clearing". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Stone clearing
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #863 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Stanley
As a boy's name, Stanley comes from Old English and means "stone clearing". It is used in English.
Stanley is also a surname: the 335th most common in the 2020 US Census, held by 91,375 people. See the most common last names.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Stanley on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Stanley on 5 lists.
“A gentleman in a sweater vest”
From Boy dog names, human names for boy dogs
“Old English for stony clearing, for a grounded buck”
From Bunny names, boy bunny names
“Stone clearing; Old English, from a place name”
From Cute boy names, sweet vintage boy names
“A gentleman in a cardigan”
From Porch goose names, vintage and classic porch goose names
“Stone clearing; Old English. Stan for short”
From Old man names, old boy names from the 1900s to 1920s
How popular is Stanley?
- US rank in 2025
- #863
- 278 babies, 163 per million boys
- Best rank
- #34 in 1915
- Most babies: 6,448 in 1954
- Babies since 1880
- At least 301,425
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 910 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 2,013 per million |
| 1900s | 3,061 per million |
| 1910s | 5,379 per million |
| 1920s | 4,488 per million |
| 1930s | 3,514 per million |
| 1940s | 3,108 per million |
| 1950s | 2,828 per million |
| 1960s | 1,558 per million |
| 1970s | 800 per million |
| 1980s | 499 per million |
| 1990s | 314 per million |
| 2000s | 207 per million |
| 2010s | 188 per million |
| 2020s | 177 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #683 | #703 | #708 | #681 | #735 | #790 | #780 | #808 | #870 | #863 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names with a similar meaning
- PetraRock, stone (Greek, girl)
- PeterRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- AinsleyFrom a place named for a solitary or hermitage clearing (English, unisex)
- CoralReef stone of the sea (Greek, girl)
- GemmaGem, precious stone (Latin, girl)
- PeadarRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- PedroRock, stone (Greek, boy)
- PeioStone (Greek, boy)
- TorstenThor's stone (Old Norse, boy)
- AdalsteinNoble stone (Old Norse, boy)
Middle names for Stanley
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
Stanley: common questions
What does the name Stanley mean?
Stanley comes from Old English and means "stone clearing".
Is Stanley a boy or girl name?
Stanley is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Stanley come from?
Stanley comes from Old English and means "stone clearing". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Stanley?
Stanley ranked #863 in the US in 2025, with 278 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What middle names go with Stanley?
Middle names that flow well with Stanley include Alton, Clark, Finn, Henry and Isaac. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.