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.

• 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

• 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

• 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

• Stanley (disambiguation)
• Stanislav (given name)

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