At first I think - of course it has hipster appeal, it's an obvious unisex surname name ending in ley.
It's maybe just the first Hollywood megahit in a long line leading to
Ashley,
Piper,
Reese, etc.
I'm sure it sounded as "too rough and masculine" to many people in 1920, as
Mackenzie did to many people in 1995.
But later, it just seems like an antiquated all-girl-name and we think of images of
Shirley Temple (always as a child of course) and we've got lifetimes of meeting women named with SH-RL- names and surnames. I totally see what you mean about how
Shirley could seem cool.
If I were going for the optimal antique
Shirley image, I'd go full on and name her
Shirley Jean.
If I were naming an actual daughter and had to use
Shirley as her first name: how about
Shirley Emerald or
Shirley Valentina.
Shirley Andromeda even.
If it could be a middle name: maybe
Magdalena ("
Maggie")
Shirley or
Jacqueline ("
Jackie")
Shirley
- mirfakThis message was edited 2/22/2021, 12:09 PM