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Stanley

Heart
English
"near the stony clearing"

Stanley Origin and Meaning

The name Stanley is a boy's name of English origin meaning "near the stony clearing".

Although Stanley Kowalski in A Streetcar Named Desire personified brute force, most Stanleys have been portrayed as meek milquetoasts. It could be a Sydney-like girls' choice.-Bette Davis once played a character named Stanley, and it was the name of President Obama's mother (named for her father)--or possibly could be revived down the line a la Walter and Arthur.

Stanley came to popularity initially via the explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley, who made historic contact with Dr. Livingston ('I presume?') in Africa in 1871. Noted US namesakes include movie directors Stanley Kramer and Stanley Kubrick and actor Stanley Tucci.

Stanley had a long run in the Top 100--from 1890 to 1959.

# 778 in the US

Stanley Rank in US Top 1000

# 654 on Nameberry

Stanley Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Stanley Popularity

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Famous People Named Stanley

  • Stanley KubrickAmerican film director
  • Stanley TucciAmerican actor
  • Arthur Stanley Jeffersonbirth name of Stan Laurel, English comedian of duo Laurel and Hardy
  • Stanley Frank "Stan" MusialAmerican baseball player
  • Stanley Melbourne Bruce8th Prime Minister of Australia
  • Stanley BaldwinEx,Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
  • Stanley Augustus HollowayEnglish actor
  • Stanley Martin Lieberbirth name of comic book creator Stan Lee, marvel, the best of all time.
  • Stanley "Stan" GetzAmerican jazz saxophonist
  • Stanley MilgramAmerican social psychologist
  • Stanley WeberFrench actor
  • Stanley Owen Green aka Protein ManEnglish human billboard
  • Stanley CohenAmerican biochemist; winner of the Nobel Prize
  • Stanley Benjamin PrusinerAmerican neurologist; winner of the Nobel Prize
  • Stanley Roger "Stan" SmithAmerican tennis player
  • Stanley Newcomb "Stan" KentonAmerican jazz pianist
  • Stanley Allison "Stan" RogersCanadian singer,songwriter
  • Stanley William "Stan" TraceyEnglish jazz pianist
  • Stanley Bernard "Stan" GalazinAmerican NFL football player
  • Stanley Gavin (b. 2011)son of singer Dido and Rohan Gavin
  • Michael Stanley DukakisAmerican politician; 65th and 67th Governor of Massachusetts

Stanley in Pop Culture

  • Stanley Kowalskicharacter in "A Streetcar Named Desire"
  • Stanley Griffmain character in children's books and animated TV series "Stanley"
  • Stanley Hudsoncharacter on TV's "The Office"
  • Stanley "Stan" Torresbaby on TV's "Cougar Town"
  • Stanley Yelnatsmain character in Louis Sachar's "Holes"
  • Stanley "Stan" Marshcharacter in animated series "South Park"
  • "Flat Stanley" children's book by Jeff Brown
  • Stanley "Stan" Shunpikecharacter in the "Harry Potter" series
  • The Stanley Parablevideo game
  • The Stanley Cupchampionship trophy of The National Hockey League
  • Grunkle (Great Uncle) Stanley Pines "Stan"character in the animated series "Gravity Falls", twin to Stanford "Ford"
  • Stanley Urischaracter in Stephen King's "It"
  • Stanley "Stan" Shunpikecharacter in "Harry Potter"
  • Stanley Ipkissmain character played by Jim Carrey in the 1994 Film "The Mask"
  • Stanley Ropercharacter on TV series "Three's Company"