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