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 Alexander Gordon Shelley (born 8 October 1979) is an Echo Music Prize-winning English conductor. He is currently music director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa, as well as principal associate conductor of the Royal Philharmonic ...

(born 1979), English conductor * Arthur Shelley (fl.1905), British footballer *

Barbara Shelley Barbara Shelley (born Barbara Teresa Kowin; 13 February 1932 – 3 January 2021) was an English film and television actress. She appeared in more than a hundred films and television series. She was particularly known for her work in horror film ...

(1932–2021), English actress *

Bert Shelley Frederick Albert "Bert" Shelley (11 August 1899 – 29 December 1971) was an English footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton, for whom he made nearly 450 appearances, before becoming a coach at Southampton. His total of 448 appeara ...

(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 Sir Bysshe Shelley, 1st Baronet (21 June 1731 – 6 January 1815) was the grandfather of English Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. Life Shelley was born in Newark, Essex County, Province of New Jersey (present-day United States) on 21 June ...

(1731–1815), grandfather of Percy Bysshe Shelley *

Carla Shelley Carla Shelley (born 26 June 1965) is an English producer for Aardman Animations and Birdbox Studio. She produced ''A Close Shave'', ''Humdrum'', '' Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit'', ''Arthur Christmas'', and '' Early Man''. Sh ...

(born 1965), film producer *

Carole Shelley Carole Augusta Shelley (16 August 1939 – 31 August 2018)Bartlett, Rhett"Carole Shelley, One of the Pigeon Sisters From 'The Odd Couple,' Dies at 79"''The Hollywood Reporter'', 1 September 2018

(1939–2018), English actress *

Cindy Shelley Cynthia Shelley (born 23 March 1960 in Barnet, Hertfordshire) is an English actress, known for her roles in two BBC television dramas of the 1980s: Alice Courtenay in '' Tenko'' and Abby Urquhart in ''Howards' Way''. Career Shelley made her tele ...

(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 Robert Pendexter "Dexter" "Deck" Shelley (June 4, 1906 – December 17, 1968) was born and raised in San Antonio. He was recruited to play high school football in Dallas for the Terrill School, a forerunner of St. Mark's School of Texas. He ...

(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) George Paul Shelley (born 27 July 1993) is an English singer, actor and presenter, and a member of the boy band Union J. In 2015, he competed in the fifteenth series of the ITV reality show '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' and fin ...

(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 George Frankham Shell known as George Gerard Shelley ( Sidcup, Kent 1891 – 24 August 1980) was a British linguist, author and translator who travelled in Imperial Russia before and during the Russian Revolution. He became a priest and lived in ...

(1891–1980), British linguist, author and translator *

Gladys Shelley Gladys Shelley (née Shaskan, December 15, 1911 – December 9, 2003) was an American lyricist and composer, who was responsible for over 300 songs. Early life Gladys Shaskan was born in Lawrence, New York to George Fried and Fannie Shaskan. She ...

(1911–2003), American lyricist and composer * Harry Rowe Shelley (1858–1947), American composer *

Howard Shelley Howard Gordon Shelley (born 9 March 1950) is a British pianist and conductor. He was educated at Highgate School and the Royal College of Music. He was married to fellow pianist Hilary Macnamara (her death), with whom he has performed and recor ...

(born 1950), British pianist and conductor *

Hugh Shelley Hubert Leneirre Shelley (October 26, 1910 – June 16, 1978) was an American baseball outfielder. He played professional baseball for 13 seasons from 1932 to 1943 and in 1946. He appeared in seven games in Major League Baseball for the Detroit T ...

(1910–1978), American baseball player of the 1930s and 1940s *

Jack Shelley (footballer) Jack Shelley (1 August 1905 – 3 December 1979) was an Australian rules footballer who played with St Kilda in the Victorian Football League The Victorian Football League (VFL) is an Australian rules football league in Australia serving ...

(1905–1979), Australian footballer *

James Shelley Sir James Shelley (1884–1961) was a notable New Zealand university professor, educationalist, lecturer, critic and director of broadcasting. He was born in Coventry, Warwickshire, England, in 1884. During the 1920s to the late 1940s Jame ...

(1884–1961), New Zealand university professor *

Jaz Shelley Jazmin Pamela Shelley (born 13 May 2000) is an Australian college basketball player for the Nebraska Cornhuskers of the Big Ten Conference. A point guard, she began her college career at Oregon before transferring to Nebraska after her sophomor ...

(born 2000), Australian basketball player *

Jeremy Shelley Jeremy Shelley (born October 25, 1990) is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent. He played college football at Alabama. High school career Shelley attended Needham B. Broughton High School in Raleigh, North Carolina, p ...

(born 1990), American football placekicker * Jim Shelley (disambiguation), multiple people *

Jody Shelley Jody Shelley (born February 7, 1976) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger. During his National Hockey League (NHL) career he played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks, New York Rangers and the Philadelphia Flyers. ...

(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 Kenneth Gene Shelley (born October 4, 1951) is an American figure skater who competed in both singles and pairs. As a single skater, he won the 1972 United States Figure Skating Championships and placed 4th at the 1972 Winter Olympics. His highes ...

(born 1951), American figure skater *

Kevin Shelley Kevin Francis Shelley (born November 16, 1955) is an American politician, who was the 28th California Secretary of State from January 6, 2003, until his resignation on March 4, 2005. Early life Shelley was raised in San Francisco, the only son ...

(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 Martha Shelley (born December 27, 1943) is an American activist, writer, and poet best known for her involvement in lesbian feminist activism. Life and early work Martha Altman was born on December 27, 1943, in Brooklyn, New York, to parents of ...

(born 1943), American writer *

Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel '' Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an early example of science fiction. She also ...

(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 Norman Shelley (16 February 1903 – 21 August 1980) was a British actor, best known for his work in radio, in particular for the BBC's ''Children's Hour''. He also had a recurring role as Colonel Danby in the long-running radio soap opera ''T ...

(1903–1980), English actor *

Paul Shelley Paul Shelley (born Paul Matthews; 15 May 1942) is an English actor. Shelley was born in Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, and trained at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art). Since then he has mainly worked in the theatre as a classical actor. ...

(born 1942), English actor *

Paul Shelley (politician) Paul J. Shelley (born July 11, 1959) is a former political figure in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He represented Baie Verte-Springdale in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1993 to 2007 as a Progressive Conservative. He w ...

(born 1959), Canadian politician *

Percy Shelley (potter) Percy Shelley (1860–1937) was an English potter and a major force in developing Shelley Potteries. He was born in Longton, Staffordshire. He attended Owen's College, Manchester and then London University, where he gained a B.A. degree. In 1881, ...

(1860–1937), English potter * Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822), English poet, husband of Mary Shelley *

Percy Florence Shelley Sir Percy Florence Shelley, 3rd Baronet (12 November 1819 – 5 December 1889) was the son of the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and his second wife, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, novelist and author of ''Frankenstein''. He was the only child ...

(1819–1889), son of Percy Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley *

Pete Shelley Pete Shelley (born Peter Campbell McNeish; 17 April 1955 – 6 December 2018) was an English singer, songwriter and guitarist. He formed early punk band Buzzcocks with Howard Devoto in 1976, and became the lead singer and guitarist in 1977 wh ...

(1955–2018), English musician, lead singer of Buzzcocks * Peter Shelley, British 1970s pop singer *

Rachel Shelley Rachel Shelley (born 25 August 1969) is an English actress and model. She is best known for playing Helena Peabody in the Showtime series ''The L Word'' and Elizabeth Russell in the Oscar-nominated Bollywood epic ''Lagaan''. Early life Rachel ...

(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 Samuel Shelley (1750/56–1808) was an English miniaturist and watercolour painter. Largely self-educated, Samuel Shelley was a leading miniaturist, i.e., painter of portrait miniatures, of his time, ranking with Cosway, Smart, and Crosse. I ...

(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 Sir Timothy Shelley, 2nd Baronet (7 September 1753 – 24 April 1844) was an English politician and lawyer. He was the son of Sir Bysshe Shelley, 1st Baronet of Castle Goring and the father of Romantic poet and dramatist Percy Bysshe Shelley. ...

(1753–1844), English politician, father of Percy Bysshe Shelley *

Walter Shelley Walter Shelley sailed to the English colony at Jamestown, Virginia The Jamestown settlement in the Colony of Virginia was the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. It was located on the northeast bank of the James (Powhatan) R ...

, 17th-century politician, colonist of Jamestown, Virginia * Wanda Shelley (born 1969), American television producer *

Sir William Shelley Sir William Shelley (1480?–1549) was an English judge. Life Born about 1480, he was the eldest son of Sir John Shelley (died 3 Jan. 1526) and his wife Elizabeth (died 31 July 1513), daughter and heir of John de Michelgrove in the parish of Cl ...

(c.1480–1549), English judge *

Shelley baronets There have been three baronetcies created for members of the Shelley family, one in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. The three recipients of the titles represented two different branches of the family ...

Given name

* Shelley Berman (1925–2017), American comedian and actor * Shelley Chaplin (born 1984), Australian wheelchair basketball player *

Shelley Duncan David Shelley Duncan (born September 29, 1979) is an American former professional baseball player. He was a left fielder, designated hitter, and first baseman. Duncan played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees, Cleveland India ...

(born 1979), former baseball player *

Shelley Duvall Shelley Alexis Duvall (born July 7, 1949) is an American actress and producer who is known for her portrayals of distinct, often eccentric characters. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Cannes Film Festival Award and a Peab ...

(born 1949), American actress * Shelley Hennig (born 1987), American actress * Shelly Hutchinson, American politician *

Shelley Jensen Shelley Jensen is an American television director and producer. He has directed episodes for a number of notable television series including ''The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'', '' Friends'', ''Amen'', '' What I Like About You'', ''The Drew Carey ...

, American television director and producer *

Shelley Long Shelley Lee Long (born August 23, 1949) is an American actress, singer, and comedian. Long portrayed Diane Chambers on the hit sitcom '' Cheers'' and received five Emmy nominations, winning in 1983 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Se ...

(born 1949), American actress * Shelley Malil (born 1984), Indian American actor *

Shelley Ross Shelley Ross is an American television executive producer, former writer and editor at the ''National Enquirer'', former executive producer of ABC News '' Good Morning America'', and former executive producer at CBS News ''The Early Show''. Car ...

, American television executive producer *

Shelley Rudman Shelley Rudman (born 23 March 1981) is a former skeleton bobsleigh athlete. She was the 2013 world champion in the event, won an Olympic silver medal at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in skeleton and is a former World Cup and European champion ...

(born 1981), British athlete *

Shelley Sandie Shelley Ann Gorman-Sandie (born 22 January 1969 in Melbourne, Victoria) is a retired female basketball player from Australia, who played for the Canberra Capitals. A three-time Olympian she was a member of the national women's team that claim ...

(born 1969), Australian basketball player *

Shelley Steiner Shelley Steiner, also known as Shelley Steiner-Wetterberg (born 23 October 1961) is a Canadian fencing, fencer, who fenced in three Olympic Games and won a gold medal in the 1981 Maccabiah Games in Israel. Biography Steiner was born in Toronto, ...

(born 1961), Canadian Olympic fencer * Shelley Tanaka, Canadian author and editor *

Shelley Tepperman Shelley Tepperman is a Quebec-based Canadian writer and translator. She has been nominated for the Governor General's Award for French to English translation multiple times. Early life and education Tepperman was born in Toronto. She has a BA i ...

, Canadian translator *

Shelley Winters Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift; August 18, 1920 – January 14, 2006) was an American actress whose career spanned seven decades. She appeared in numerous films. She won Academy Awards for ''The Diary of Anne Frank'' (1959) and ''A Patch o ...

(1920–2006), American actress

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'' is a British sitcom made by Thames Television and originally broadcast on ITV from 12 July 1979 to 12 January 1984 and from 11 October 1988 to 1 September 1992. It stars Hywel Bennett as Dr James Shelley, 28 years old (at the outse ...

'' * Shelley Levene, a main character in the stage play '' Glengarry Glen Ross'', and the 1992 film of the same name * Shelley Marsh, a secondary character on the Comedy Central show ''South Park'' * Shelley Simon, One Tree Hill character *

Shelley Unwin Shelley Unwin (also Barlow) is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera '' Coronation Street'', played by Sally Lindsay. She is the daughter of Bev Unwin (Susie Blake). Shelley's storylines included a bigamous marriage to Peter ...

, a character in the British TV series ''Coronation Street'' * Shelley Winters, a main character in the popular webcomic ''

Scary Go Round ''Scary Go Round'' is a webcomic by John Allison. Running from 2002 to 2009, it is set in the fictional North Yorkshire town of Tackleford and follows university students battling fantasy and science fiction threats to the town. The comic was ...

'' * Shelly Johnson, one of the main characters in ''

Twin Peaks ''Twin Peaks'' is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 for ...

Animals

* Shelley (tortoise), a tortoise on ''Blue Peter''

Surname

Given name

Code name

Fictional characters

Animals

See also