Stanley
Stanley comes from the Old English "stān" (stone) and "leah" (meadow) — meaning "stony meadow." Stanley was a top-100 American name from 1890 to 1965, peaking at #34 in 1916. Stanley (the filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, 1928-1999, who directed "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "The Shining" — one of the greatest directors in film history) is the most acclaimed bearer. Stanley (the playwright Stanley "Stanley" Kowalski, the character in Tennessee Williams's "A Streetcar Named Desire" (1947)) gave the name a literary charge. The nickname Stan (as in Stan Lee of Marvel Comics) is one of the most natural in English. Stanley is a male name of English (place name) origin that means "Stony meadow". Serious, mid-century, and quietly accomplished. The name sounds historic. Stanleys tend to be thoughtful. US peaked #34 in 1916. Now outside top 500. Well-known people named Stanley include Stanley Kubrick (director), Henry Morton Stanley (explorer), Stan Lee (Marvel Comics), Stanley (English place name). Common variations and related forms of Stanley include Stan (short form), Stanly (variant), Stanleigh (variant), Stan (short form).