A diminutive of the English word "son," used to denote a young boy. While typically used as a nickname, it can also be used as a given name. Stanley Origin: Old English Meaning: Stone clearing The name Stanley comes from an English surname meaning "stone clearing," from the Old English words stan - "stone" and leah - "clearing". While originally a surname, it has since been adapted into a given name. It was a popular name at the beginning of the 20th century, and although its popularity had fallen sharply by the end of the century, it has since started to climb back up again.