Shirlene is a unique and distinctive female given name that is of African American origin. It is a variation of Shirley, which means "bright clear" in English. The name Shirlene was popularized during the mid-20th century as a part of the wider trend of naming children with names that ended in "-ene." This trend included other names such as Tamarene, Karen, and Merlene.
The name Shirlene has not been widely used throughout history, but it is most commonly found in African American communities. It is thought to have originated in the Southern United States during the mid-20th century. The name's popularity peaked in the 1950s and 1960s and has since declined.
Despite its relative rarity, Shirlene remains a unique and beautiful name that carries with it a rich cultural history. It is often associated with strength, resilience, and creativity, reflecting the spirit of those who bear this distinctive name.
The name Shirlene has seen a significant rise and fall in popularity over the years in the United States, according to the annual birth statistics provided.
In the early 1920s, Shirlene was quite uncommon, with only 7 births recorded in 1923 and 6 births in 1924. However, its popularity started to grow steadily from the late 1920s onwards. By 1935, there were 104 babies named Shirlene, marking a significant increase compared to previous years.
The name reached its peak popularity in the United States during the mid-1930s to early 1940s. In 1936 alone, there were 156 births with the name Shirlene, making it the highest number of births recorded for this name in a single year.
However, like many names, Shirlene's popularity began to decline after the 1940s. By the 1960s, the number of annual births with the name had decreased significantly, with only 91 births recorded in 1966 and further decreasing to 58 births in 1970.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Shirlene continued its decline in popularity. The highest number of births recorded during these decades was 32 in 1975, while the lowest was just 5 births in 1990.
Since then, Shirlene has remained quite rare, with only a handful of babies being named Shirlene each year. In recent years, the name has seen some slight fluctuations but has generally maintained its rarity, with only 5 births recorded between 2003 and 2010.
In total, there have been 4856 babies named Shirlene in the United States since records began. Despite its decline in popularity over the years, the name Shirlene has still managed to leave a notable mark on American naming history.