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.
Notable people with the name include:
Surname
Adolphus Edward Shelley (1812–1854), the first Auditor-General in British Hong Kong Alex Shelley (born 1983), stage name of American wrestler Patrick Martin Alexander Shelley (born 1979), English conductor Arthur Shelley (fl.1905), British footballer Barbara Shelley (1932–2021), English actress Bert Shelley (1899–1971), English footballer Brian Shelley (born 1981), Irish footballer Burke Shelley (1950-2022), Welsh musician, member of rock group Budgie Sir Bysshe Shelley, 1st Baronet (1731–1815), grandfather of Percy Bysshe Shelley Carla Shelley (born 1965), film producer Carole Shelley (1939–2018), English actress Cindy Shelley (born 1960), British actress Danny Shelley (born 1990), English footballer David Shelley (1957–2015), American blues rock musician David Shelley (publisher), British book publisher Deck Shelley (1906–1968), American football player Duke Shelley (born 1996), American football player Elbert Shelley (born 1964), American football player Sir Frederic Shelley, 8th Baronet (1809–1869), cleric and landowner George Shelley (singer) (born 1993), English singer, member of group Union J George Ernest Shelley (1840–1910), English geologist and ornithologist George M. Shelley (1849–1927), Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri Gerard Shelley (1891–1980), British linguist, author and translator Gladys Shelley (1911–2003), American lyricist and composer Harry Rowe Shelley (1858–1947), American composer Howard Shelley (born 1950), British pianist and conductor Hugh Shelley (1910–1978), American baseball player of the 1930s and 1940s Jack Shelley (footballer) (1905–1979), Australian footballer James Shelley (1884–1961), New Zealand university professor Jaz Shelley (born 2000), Australian basketball player Jeremy Shelley (born 1990), American football placekicker Jim Shelley (disambiguation), multiple people Jody Shelley (born 1976), Canadian ice hockey player Joe Shelley (1892–1966), Australian footballer John Shelley (disambiguation), multiple people Joshua Shelley (1920–1990), American actor Kate Shelley (1863–1912), Irish-born US railroad heroine Kenneth Shelley (born 1951), American figure skater Kevin Shelley (born 1955), American politician Lee Shelley (born 1956), American fencer Lilian Shelley (1892–c.1933), English music hall entertainer Louise Shelley (born 1952), American university professor Martha Shelley (born 1943), American writer Mary Shelley (1797–1851), English writer, author of the novel Frankenstein Mary Michael Shelley (born 1950), American folk artist Michael Shelley (disambiguation), multiple people Nancy Shelley (died 2010), Australian peace activist Norman Shelley (1903–1980), English actor Paul Shelley (born 1942), English actor Paul Shelley (politician) (born 1959), Canadian politician Percy Shelley (potter) (1860–1937), English potter Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822), English poet, husband of Mary Shelley Sir Percy Shelley, 3rd Baronet (1819–1889), son of Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley Pete Shelley (1955–2018), English musician, lead singer of Buzzcocks Peter Shelley, British 1970s pop singer Rachel Shelley (born 1969), English actress Rebecca Shelley (1887–1984), American pacifist Rex Shelley (1930–2009), Eurasian Singaporean author Richard Shelley (died c.1586), English Catholic under Elizabeth I Richard Shelley (Grand Prior) (c.1513–c.1589), English diplomat Rick Shelley (1947–2001), American science fiction writer Ronald G. Shelley (1932–2003), philatelist Samuel Shelley (1750–1808), English miniaturist and water-colour painter Sidney Patrick Shelley (1880–1965), relative of Percy Bysshe Shelley Steve Shelley (born 1962), American drummer, member of group Sonic Youth Timothy Shelley (1753–1844), English politician, father of Percy Bysshe Shelley Walter Shelley, 17th-century politician, colonist of Jamestown, Virginia Wanda Shelley (born 1969), American television producer Sir William Shelley (c.1480–1549), English judge Shelley baronets