Editing Shelley (name)

{{Infobox name
| name                 = Shelley
| image                = 
| caption              = 
| romanisation         = 
| pronunciation        = {{IPAc-en|ˈ|ʃ|ɛ|l|i}}
| gender               = Unisex
| masculine            = 
| feminine             = 
| motto                = 
| language             = English
| languageorigin       = English
| origin               = Shelley (various places)
| derivation           = {{langx|ang|scylf + lēaf}}
| meaning              = 'clearing on a bank/shelf'
| region               = [[England]]
| alternative spelling = 
| nickname             = 
| shortform            = 
| petname              = 
| variant forms        = [[Shelly (disambiguation)|Shelly]]
| related names        = [[Shirley (name)|Shirley]], [[Michelle (name)|Michelle]], [[Michel (name)|Michel]], [[Michele]], [[Sheldon (name)|Sheldon]], [[Shelton (disambiguation)#People|Shelton]], [[Rachelle]], [[Rochelle (given name)|Rochelle]], [[Shel]]
| cognate              = 
| anglicisation        = 
| name day             = 
| derived              = 
| derivative           = 
| seealso              = 
| popularity           = 
| footnotes            = <ref>{{cite book |last1=Hanks |first1=Patrick |author1-link=Patrick Hanks |last2=Hodges |first2=Flavia |title=A Dictionary of Surnames |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=0-19-211592-8 |year=1988 |url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofsurn0000hank_y2l9 |access-date=19 November 2024 |via=Internet Archive |page=488}}</ref>
}}

'''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 (given name)|Courtney]], [[Ashley (given name)|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 (name)| ''Michelle'']] (and formerly as a variant of [[Shirley (name)|''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 (disambiguation)|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|date=June 2020}}

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)]] (born 1976), 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]] (1943–2023), 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
* [[Sir Sidney Shelley, 8th Baronet]] (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]]

==Given name==
===Women===
* [[Shelley Ackerman]] (1953–2020), American astrologer, writer, actress, and singer
* [[Shelley Andrews]] (born 1953), Canadian field hockey player
* [[Shelley Anna]], American chemical engineer
* [[Shelley Archer]] (born 1958), Australian politician
* [[Shelley Beattie]] (1967–2008), American professional female bodybuilder and actress
* [[Shelley Bennett]], American actress, producer, and artist
* [[Shelley Berger]], American professor
* Rochelle [[Shelley Berkley]] (born 1951), American businesswoman, politician, and attorney
* [[Shelley Blond]] (born 1970), English actress
* [[Shelley-Ann Brown]] (born 1980), Canadian bobsledder
* [[Shelley Chaplin]] (born 1984), Australian wheelchair basketball player
* [[Shelley Duvall]] (1949–2024), American actress
* Michele [[Shelley Fabares]] (born 1944), American singer and actress
* Michelle [[Shelley Fruin]] (born 1961), New Zealand cricketer
* Michelle [[Shelley Funke Frommeyer]] (born 1969), American politician
* [[Shelley Griffiths]], New Zealand academic
* [[Shelley Hack]] (born 1947), American model and actress
* Michelle [[Shelley Hadfield]], New Zealand paralympian
* [[Shelley Hennig]] (born 1987), American actress
* [[Shelley Jackson]] (born 1963), American writer and artist
* Michelle [[Shelley Kerr]] (born 1969), Scottish football manager
* [[Shelley Long]] (born 1949), American actress
* [[Shelley Parker-Chan]], Australian fantasy novelist
* [[Shelley Ross]], American television executive producer
* [[Shelley Rudman]] (born 1981), British athlete
* [[Shelley Rudnicki]], American politician
* [[Shelley Sandie]] (born 1969), Australian basketball player
* Rachelle [[Shelley Shannon]] (born 1956), American anti-abortion extremist
* [[Shelley Smith (disambiguation)]], multiple people
* Rochelle [[Shelley Solomon]] (1963–2014), American professional tennis player
* [[Shelley Steiner]] (born 1961), Canadian Olympic fencer
* [[Shelley Tanaka]], Canadian author and editor
* [[Shelley Tepperman]], Canadian translator
* Rochelle [[Shelley Vana]] (born 1951), American politician
* [[Shelley Vance]], American politician
* Michelle [[Shelley Williams-Walker]], British politician
* [[Shelley Winters]] (1920–2006), American actress
===Men===
* [[Shelley Appleton]] (1919–2005), American trade union executive and attorney
* Sheldon [[Shelley Berman]] (1925–2017), American comedian and actor
* [[Shelley Duncan]] (born 1979), American professional baseball player
* [[Shelley Hull]] (1884–1919), American actor
* [[Shelley Jensen]], American television director and producer
* [[Shelley Malil]] (born 1984), Indian-American actor
* [[Shelley Mayfield]] (1924–2010), American golf course architect and professional golfer
* [[Shelley Massenburg-Smith]] (born 1988), American rapper, singer, and record producer
* I. Sheldon [[Shelley Posen]], Canadian folklorist, singer, and songwriter
* [[Shelley Scarlett, 5th Baron Abinger]] (1872–1917), British peer and military officer
* [[Shelley Smith (disambiguation)]], multiple people
* Shelton [[Shelley Wickramasinghe]] (1926–2011), Sri Lankan cricketer

==Code name==
* [[F. F. E. Yeo-Thomas]], S.O.E. operative who had "SHELLEY" as a code name during World War II

==Fictional characters==
*James Shelley, the title character of ''[[Shelley (TV series)]]''
* Shelley Levene, a main character in the stage play ''[[Glengarry Glen Ross]]'', and the 1992 film of the same name
* [[List of South Park families#Shelly Marsh|Shelley Marsh]], a secondary character on the Comedy Central show ''South Park''
* [[Shelley Simon]], One Tree Hill character
* [[Shelley Unwin]], a character in the British TV series ''Coronation Street''
* Shelley Winters, a main character in the popular webcomic ''[[Scary Go Round]]''
* [[Shelly Johnson (Twin Peaks)|Shelly Johnson]], one of the main characters in ''[[Twin Peaks]]''
* Nathan Shelley, a main character in the Apple TV series ''[[Ted Lasso]]''

==Animals==
* [[Shelley (tortoise)]], a tortoise on ''Blue Peter''

==See also==
{{wiktionary|Shelley}}
* [[Shelly (disambiguation)]]
* [[Michelle (name)]]
* [[Shirley (name)]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

{{given name|type=both}}

[[Category:English feminine given names]]
[[Category:Feminine given names]]
[[Category:English unisex given names]]