Shanley is a rare and unique given name of Irish origin. It is derived from the Irish surname "O'Scanlain," which was originally an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name "Ó Scanláin." This Gaelic name consists of two elements: "scan" meaning "shadow" or "darkness," and "lán" meaning "full."
The surname O'Scanlain was first found in County Kerry, located in southwestern Ireland. The family is believed to have been a sept of the ancient and powerful O'Connors, who were one of the most prominent families in Ireland during the Middle Ages.
While Shanley is more commonly used as a surname, it has also been used occasionally as a given name for males. However, its use as a given name appears to be quite rare, with only a few individuals known to have this name worldwide.
In terms of popularity, Shanley does not rank among the most common names in any country. According to data from the Social Security Administration in the United States, no boys were named Shanley in 2019, and it has never been among the top 1000 boy's names since record-keeping began in the late 19th century.
Overall, Shanley is a distinctive name with an interesting history rooted in Irish culture. Its meaning, derived from ancient Gaelic language elements, adds to its unique character. Despite its rarity as a given name, those who bear the name Shanley carry a piece of Irish heritage and tradition.
The name Shanley has been given to a total of 473 babies born in the United States since 1967, according to the data provided.
From 1967 to 1981, there were only five births each year. However, from 1982 onwards, the number of births began to increase significantly. In 1986 alone, there were nineteen babies named Shanley born in the United States. This trend continued throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s, with the highest number of births occurring in 1993 (26 babies).
The popularity of the name Shanley peaked during this period, but it began to decline after 1995. Between 1996 and 2008, there were consistently around ten births each year. There was a slight increase between 2014 and 2015 (24 births in 2014), but overall, the name has become less common in recent years.
Despite this decline, Shanley remains a unique and distinctive name that has been chosen for hundreds of babies over the past five decades. It will be interesting to see how its popularity evolves in the coming years.