Stanley is a toponymic surname, a contraction of stan (a form of "stone") and leigh (meadow), later also being used as a masculine given name.
People with the given name
Stanley Amis (1924–2021), British architect Stanley Andrisse (born 1983), American endocrinologist Stan Arthur (born 1935), U.S. Navy officer; Vice Chief of Naval Operations (1992–95) Stanley Baker (1928–1976), Welsh actor and producer Stanley Baldwin (1867–1947), British statesman; three-time prime minister of the United Kingdom (1923–24, 1924–29, 1935–37) Stanley Baxter (1926–2025), Scottish actor, comedian, impressionist, and author Stanley Berryhill (born 1998), American football player Stanley Bleifeld (1924–2011), American sculptor Stanley Booth-Clibborn (1924–1996), British Anglican bishop Stanley Branche (1933–1992), American civil rights leader Stanley Brundy (born 1967), American basketball player Stanley Burnside (born 1947), Bahamian cartoonist and painter Stanley Burrell (born 1962), American rapper better known by his stage name MC Hammer Stanley Cavell (1926–2018), American philosopher Stanley Chais (1926–2010), American investment advisor in the Madoff investment scandal Stanley Chera (1942–2020), American real estate developer Stanley R. Christianson (1925–1950), American Marine, awarded Medal of Honor Stanley Clarke (born 1951), American jazz and funk bassist Stanley Clements (1926–1981), American actor and comedian
Stanley Donen (1924–2019), American film director and choreographer Stan Drake (1921–1997), American cartoonist Stanley Ann Dunham (1942–1995), American anthropologist and mother of Barack Obama, the 44th president of the United States
Stanley Fischer (born 1943), Israeli-American economist Stanley Fisher (1867–1949), British colonial judge; 24th Chief Justice of Ceylon (1926–30) Stanley H. Ford (1877–1961), United States Army General Stanley Fung (1945–2025), Hong Kong actor and film director Stanley Jerome Gaetz (1914–1964), member of the North Dakota Senate Stanley Goble (1891–1948), Royal Australian Air Force commander Stanley G. Grizzle (1918–2016), Canadian citizenship judge and labour union activist Stanley Heaps (1880–1962), English architect responsible for the design of a number of stations on the London Underground system Stanley Ho (1921–2020), Hong Kong-Macau businessman Stanley Holloway (1890–1982), English actor, comedian, singer and monologist
Stanley Jones (cyclist) (1888–1962), British Olympic cyclist Stanley Kalpage (died 2000), Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations from 1991 to 1994 Stanley Kamel (1943–2008), American actor Stanley Klein, several people: Stanley A. Klein, American neuroscientist Stanley H. Klein (1908–1992), American architect Stanley Kramer (1913–2001), American film director and producer Stanley Krippner (born 1932), American psychologist, parapsychologist, and Professor of Psychology at Saybrook University Stanley Kubrick (1928–1999), American film director, producer, and screenwriter Stanley Kurtz, American conservative commentator Stan Laurel (born Arthur Stanley Jefferson, 1890–1965), English comic actor, writer and film director Stanley Lechtzin (born 1936), American artist, jeweler, metalsmith, and educator Stan Lee (1922–2018), American comic book writer, editor, and publisher Stanley Lewis, several people: Stanley Lewis (sculptor) (1930–2006), Canadian sculptor Stanley Cornwell Lewis (1905–2009), British portrait painter and illustrator Stanley Love, several people: Stan Love (basketball) (1949–2025), American basketball player Stanley G. Love (born 1965), American scientist and astronaut Sir Stanley Matthews (1915–2000), British footballer Stanley Mazor (born 1941), American electrical engineer and inventor Stanley A. McChrystal (born 1954), former Commander, International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan Stanley Meltzoff (1917–2006), American illustrator Stanley Middleton (1919–2009), British novelist Stanley Morgan Jr. (born 1996), American football player Stanley Myers (1930–1993), English composer and conductor Stanley Nelson Jr. (born 1951), American documentary filmmaker Stanley Nibbs (1914–1985) British Virgin Islander teacher Stanley Ocitti (born 1980), Ugandan basketball player Stan Owen (1932–2019), Welsh rugby union and rugby league footballer Stanley G. Payne (born 1934), American historian and Hispanist Stanley Peiris (1941–2002), Sri Lankan Sinhala musician and composer Stanley Plotkin (born 1932), American physician, vaccinologist, and immunologist Stanley B. Prusiner (born 1942), American neurologist and biochemist Stanley Richieri Afonso (born 1985), Brazilian footballer Stanley Robinson (disambiguation), several people Stanley Rogers Resor (1917–2012), American lawyer and military officer; 9th United States Secretary of the Army Stanley Jedidiah Samartha (1920–2001), Indian theologian Stanley Savige (1890–1954), Australian soldier and businessman Stanley Schmidt (born 1944), American science fiction author and editor Stanley Schumacher (1933–2020), Canadian politician Stanley Senanayake (1918–1989) Sri Lankan law enforcement official Stanley Shakespeare (1963–2005), American football player Stanley Shanfield, American inventor Stanley Sheff, American film director and writer Stanley Gerald Umphrey Shier (1903–1968), Canadian doctor; 18th Canadian Surgeon General
Stanley Tillekeratne (1928–2005), former Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka Stanley Tretick (1921–1999), American photojournalist Stanley Tucci (born 1960), American actor, writer, producer and film director Stanley Turrentine (1934–2000), American jazz saxophonist Stanley Unwin, several people: Stanley Unwin (comedian) (1911–2002), South African-born comedic writer and performer Stanley Unwin (publisher) (1884–1968), British publisher, founder of George Allen and Unwin Stanley Wagner (disambiguation), several people Stanley J. Wawrzyniak (1927–1995), American Marine officer, recipient of two Navy Crosses during Korean War Stanley G. Weinbaum (1902–1935), American science fiction writer Stanley Whittaker (born 1994), American basketball player Stanley Wojcicki (1937–2023), Polish American emeritus professor and former chair of the physics department at Stanford University Stanley Wolpert (1927–2019), American historian and Indologist Stanley Woodward Jr. (born 1983), American lawyer Stanley Yau (born 1990), Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor Stanley Zabka (1924–2023), American songwriter, filmmaker, and television director Stanley Zeigler, American politician Stanley de Zoysa (1907–1970), Sri Lankan businessman and politician
People with the family name Aileen Stanley (1897–1982), American popular singer Alessandra Stanley (born 1955), American journalist Allan Stanley (1926–2013), Canadian ice hockey player Antwaun Stanley, American singer, songwriter Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815–1881), English churchman, dean of Westminster Barbara Stanley (1949–2023), American psychologist, researcher, and suicidologist Barney Stanley (1893–1971), Canadian professional ice hockey player Benson Stanley (born 1984), Australian-born, New Zealand Rugby Union player Bob Stanley (baseball) (born 1954), American baseball player Bob Stanley (musician) (born 1964), English musician Brian Stanley (disambiguation), multiple people Cassius Stanley (born 1999), American basketball player Chad Stanley (born 1976), American football player Charles Stanley (disambiguation), multiple people Chase Stanley (born 1989), Australian-New Zealand Rugby League player Christopher Stanley (born 1965), American actor Clinton Warrington Stanley (1830–1884), Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court David S. Stanley (1828–1902), Union general in the American Civil War and Medal of Honor recipient Dimitrious Stanley (1974–2023), American football player Dorothy Stanley (1924–1990), American educator Edward Stanley (disambiguation), multiple people Emily Stanley, American limnologist Fiona Stanley (born 1946), Australian epidemiologist Florence Stanley (1924–2003), American actress Francis Edgar Stanley (1849–1918), American businessman, co-inventor of the Stanley Steamer Frank C. Stanley, late 19th-early 20th-century American popular singer; stage name for William S. Grinsted Freelan O. Stanley (1849–1940), co-inventor of the Stanley Steamer and founder of the Stanley Hotel Frederick Trent Stanley (1802–1883), American industrialist, founder of Stanley Works George F. G. Stanley (1907–2002), Canadian historian and designer of the Canadian flag Ginger Stanley (1931–2023), American model, actress and stunt woman Helen Camille Stanley (1930–2021), American composer and violist Henrietta Stanley, Baroness Stanley of Alderley (1807–1895), British campaigner for women's education Henrietta Stanley Dull (1863–1964), American food writer Henry Stanley (cricketer) (1873–1900), English cricketer Henry Bruce 'Harry' Stanley (1953–1999), Scottish painter and decorator mistakenly shot by police Henry Morton Stanley (1841–1904), Welsh-American journalist and explorer, searched for Dr. Livingstone Ian Stanley (born 1957), British musician James Stanley (disambiguation), several people Jamie Stanley (born 1983), British racing driver Jayson Stanley (born 1997), American football player Joe Stanley (rugby union) (born 1957), New Zealand Rugby Union player John Stanley (disambiguation), several people Kim Stanley (1925–2001), American actress Leo Stanley (1886–1976), American surgeon Lisa Stanley (born 1973), Irish singer, songwriter, and presenter Logan Stanley (born 1998), Canadian ice hockey player Matthew Stanley (born 1992), New Zealand Olympic swimmer Mervin C. Stanley (1857–1907), New York politician Michael Stanley (1948–2021), American rock singer Michael Stanley (rugby union) (born 1989), Samoan Rugby Union player Mickey Stanley (born 1942), American baseball player Mike Stanley (born 1963), American baseball player Mike Stanley (rower) (born 1957), New Zealand Olympic rower and sports administrator Millicent Preston-Stanley (1883–1955), Australian feminist and politician Muriel Stanley (1918–1979), Indigenous Australian Anglican missionary, nurse and social worker Nate Stanley (born 1997), American football player Oliver Stanley (1896–1950), British politician Owen Stanley (1811–1850), British naval captain Owsley Stanley (1935–2011), American "underground" chemist, mass-produced LSD Paco Stanley (1942–1999), Mexican television entertainer, assassinated Paul Stanley (born 1952), American rock guitarist and vocalist Peter Stanley (born 1956), Australian historian Ralph Stanley (1927–2016), American bluegrass musician, one of the Stanley Brothers Richard Stanley (director) (born 1966), South African-born film director Richard Stanley (politician) (1920–1983), British Conservative Party Member of Parliament 1950–1966 Richard P. Stanley (born 1944), American mathematician at MIT Robbie Stanley (born 1967), American auto racing driver Ronja Stanley (born 1991), Finnish singer, known as Ronya Ronnie Stanley (born 1994), American football player Sachini Ayendra Stanley, Sri Lankan Burgher cinema actress and model Sam Stanley (rugby union) (born 1991) English Rugby Union player Sara Griffith Stanley Woodward (1837–1918; born: Stanley), U.S. abolitionist, author, educator Sidney Stanley (died 1969), Polish-British businessman Sidney Stanley (cricketer) (born 1933), South African cricketer Steven J. C. Stanley (born 1958), Jamaican audio engineer and producer Steven M. Stanley (born 1941), American palaeontologist The Stanley Brothers, Carter and Ralph, American bluegrass musicians Thomas Stanley (author) (1625–1678), English author and translator Thomas Bahnson Stanley (1890–1970), American politician, governor of Virginia 1954–1958 Venetia Stanley (1600–1633), English noblewoman