Save Type Surname (from location) Usage English Pronounced Pron. /ˈstæn.li/ [key·simplify] Meaning & History From various place names meaning "stone clearing" in Old English. A notable bearer was the British-American explorer and journalist Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904). Related NamesDetails Rootsstan + leahGiven Name DescendantStanley(English) Categories banjo players, bluegrass musicians, brand names, child actors, earth, Emergency characters, isograms, nature, stone