shelley is a given name and surname. in many baby name books, "shelley" is listed as meaning "from the meadow on the ledge" or "clearing on a bank" sometimes truthful and pretty. it is old english in origin. as with many other names (courtney, ashley, etc.), shelley is today a name given almost exclusively to girls after historically being male. shelley is also a transferred surname used by those in essex, suffolk and yorkshire, particularly in settlements where a wood/clearing was beside a ledge or hillside. "shelly" is a common alternative spelling. it is featured in tile on the ceiling of the library of congress in washington d.c.