Stanley (name)

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

 * Ann Dunham, birth name Stanley Ann Dunham, mother of the 44th president Barack Obama
 * Stanley (Brazilian footballer) (Stanley Richieri Afonso, born 1985), Brazil
 * Stanley Adams (actor) (1915–1977), American actor and screenwriter
 * Stanley Adams (singer) (1907–1994), American singer and lyricist
 * Stanley Adams (whistleblower) (1927–2016), Maltese whistleblower in the pharmaceutical industry
 * Stanley T. Adams (1922–1999), American Army officer, recipient of the Medal of Honor during the Korean War
 * Stanley Amis (1924–2021), British architect
 * Stanley Andrisse, 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), three-time prime minister of the United Kingdom
 * Stanley Baxter (born 1926), 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, American rapper known as 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 Cohen (biochemist) (1922–2020), American biochemist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine Laureate
 * Stanley Cohen (physicist) (1927–2017), American physicist, founder and president of Speakeasy Computing Corporation
 * Stan Cohen (politician) (1927–2004), British Labour politician
 * Stanley Cohen (sociologist) (1942–2013), Martin White Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics
 * Stanley G. Cohen, American music educator, president of Five Towns College
 * Stanley Norman Cohen (born 1935), American geneticist
 * Stanley Donen (1924–2019), American film director and choreographer
 * Stan Drake (1921–1997), American cartoonist
 * Stanley Ann Dunham (1942–1995), American anthropologist, mother of Barack Obama
 * Stanley Ellis (cricketer) (1896–1987), English cricketer
 * Stanley Ellis (linguist) (1926–2009), English linguistics scholar and broadcaster
 * Stanley Fields (actor) (1883–1941), American actor
 * Stanley Fields (biologist) (born 1955), American biologist
 * Stanley Fischer (born 1943), Israeli American economist
 * Stanley Fisher (1867–1949), 24th Chief Justice of Ceylon
 * Stanley H. Ford (1877–1961), United States Army General
 * 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 Johnson (basketball) (born 1996), American basketball player
 * Stanley Johnson (London politician) (1869–1937), English solicitor and Conservative Party politician, MP 1918–1924
 * Stanley Johnson (writer) (born 1940), British author and politician, writer on environmental and population issues, MEP 1979–1984
 * 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 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 (1890–1965), born Arthur Stanley Jefferson, 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 (sculptor) (1930–2006), Canadian sculptor
 * Stanley Cornwell Lewis (1905–2009), British portrait painter and illustrator
 * Stan Love (basketball) (born 1949), 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 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 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, 18th Canadian Surgeon General
 * Stanley Tillekeratne, former Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka
 * Stanley Tretick (1921–1999), American photojournalist
 * Stanley Tucci, American actor, writer, producer and film director
 * Stanley Turrentine (1934–2000), American jazz saxophonist
 * 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 (attorney), American lawyer
 * Stanley Yau (born 1990), Hong Kong singer, dancer and actor
 * Stanley Zeigler, American politician
 * Stanley de Zoysa, Sri Lankan businessman and politician

People with the family name

 * Aileen Stanley (1897–1982), American popular singer
 * Allan Stanley (1926–2013), Canadian professional ice hockey player
 * Alessandra Stanley, American journalist
 * Antwaun Stanley, American singer, songwriter
 * Arthur Penrhyn Stanley (1815–1881), English churchman, dean of Westminster
 * 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
 * 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 (born 1930), 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, American businessman and founder of Stanley Rule and Level Company, cousin of Frederick Trent Stanley
 * 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
 * Jayson Stanley (born 1997), American football player
 * Joe Stanley (born 1957), New Zealand Rugby Union player
 * John Stanley (disambiguation), several people
 * Kim Stanley (1925–2001), American actress
 * Leo Stanley (1886–1976), American surgeon
 * 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
 * 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
 * Venetia Stanley (1887–1948), English socialite, intimate friend of H. H. Asquith
 * Wendell Meredith Stanley (1904–1971), American biochemist, virologist, and Nobel prize laureate
 * William Stanley (died 1495) (c. 1435–1495), English soldier, fought at the Battle of Bosworth Field
 * William Stanley (born 1548) (1548–1630), English military commander, under Queen Elizabeth I
 * William Stanley (inventor), British inventor and businessman
 * William Stanley Jr. (1858–1916), American physicist
 * Winifred C. Stanley (1909–1996), U.S. Representative from New York
 * Woodrow Stanley (1950–2022), American politician

English nobility and gentry

 * any of the Stanley baronets
 * any who held the title Baron Stanley
 * any who held the title Baron Stanley of Alderley
 * Albert Stanley, 1st Baron Ashfield (1874–1948), president of the Board of Trade, chairman of London Passenger Transport Board
 * Anne Stanley, Countess of Ancram (1600–1656/7), wife of the 1st Earl of Ancram
 * Edward Stanley, Lord Stanley, name used for several men: see Edward Stanley (disambiguation)
 * Edward John Stanley, 6th Baron Sheffield and Stanley of Alderley (1907–1971)
 * Henrietta Stanley, 4th Baroness Strange (1687–1718), English peeress
 * Henry Stanley, 4th Earl of Derby (1531–1593)
 * James Stanley, 7th Earl of Derby (1607–1651)
 * Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby (1435–1504)
 * William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby (1584–1642)

Fictional characters

 * Stanley (Cars), the deceased founder of the town Radiator Springs in the Cars franchise
 * Stanley, an anthropomorphic white tank engine on TV series Thomas and Friends
 * Stanley, in the film A Troll in Central Park (1994)
 * Sappy Stanley, a character in the TV series Tiny Toon Adventures
 * a title character in Stanley and His Monster, from DC Comics
 * Stanley the Tool, in the webcomic Erfworld
 * Stanley Bernstein, in the 1983 American miniseries V)
 * Stanley Griff, the main character of the Playhouse Disney animated series Stanley
 * Stanley Hudson, a character on the TV show The Office
 * Stanley Ipkiss, the main character in the comic and the film The Mask
 * Stanley "Grandpa" Kanisky, on the American television sitcom Gimme a Break
 * Stanley Kowalski, in A Streetcar Named Desire
 * Stanley Lambchop, a main character in Jeff Brown's Flat Stanley book series
 * Stan Marsh, on the TV show South Park
 * Stanley Pines, on the animated TV series Gravity Falls
 * Stanley Roper, on the American sitcom Three's Company
 * Stan Smith (American Dad!), the lead character from the American Dad! animated sitcom
 * Stanley Snyder, a character from the manga series Dr. Stone
 * Stanley Sorenson, a main character in Brandon Mull's Fablehaven book series
 * Stanley S. SquarePants, a minor character in the Nickelodeon animated TV series SpongeBob SquarePants
 * Stanley Tweedle, a main character on the science fiction TV series Lexx
 * Stanley Yelnats IV, from the novel and film Holes
 * Stanley Zbornak, a recurring character in the American TV series The Golden Girls
 * Stanley, the protagonist in the 2011 video game The Stanley Parable, its 2013 remake, and its 2022 Ultra Deluxe release
 * Stanley the Bugman, the protagonist in the 1983 Nintendo video game Donkey Kong 3 and the 1999 game Super Smash Bros
 * Beth Stanley, in the 1998 American science-fiction disaster movie Deep Impact