Curley is an English given name of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname Ó Cuirreáin. It is composed of the elements 'ó', meaning descendant of, and 'Cuirreán', a personal name thought to mean "little dark-haired one". The name Curley is often associated with characters in popular literature, such as Curley, the antagonist in John Steinbeck's novel "Of Mice and Men," which has contributed to its recognition.
The name Curley experienced significant fluctuations in popularity over the years, with a peak of 60 births in 1943 and a notable decline to as few as 5 births per year from 1993 onwards.