This article answers a straightforward question: are there female names on the Stanley Cup? The short answer is yes, and a few specific examples and the Cup’s engraving rules help explain how and why women appear among the inscribed names. The piece is organized to give a direct answer, explain the Cup’s physical inscription process and the NHL’s rules, profile documented female examples, and provide step-by-step verification guidance so readers can confirm inscriptions themselves.

Yes, women have names engraved on the Stanley Cup, starting with Marguerite Norris in the 1950s.

The NHL sets eligibility thresholds and a 52-name submission cap, with petitions for exceptions considered by the league.

Use the Hockey Hall of Fame archive and team or NHL engraving announcements to verify any inscription.

Short answer: yes, are there female names on the Stanley Cup?

Immediate answer, scoresandodds nhl

Short answer: yes, women have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup, beginning with Detroit Red Wings president Marguerite Norris in the 1950s, a fact recorded by the Hockey Hall of Fame and other historical sources Hockey Hall of Fame women and the Stanley Cup page

Is there a female name on the Stanley Cup?

Yes. Women have been engraved on the Stanley Cup, beginning with Marguerite Norris in the 1950s; later examples include several owners and executives, and you can verify inscriptions using the Hockey Hall of Fame archives and official team or NHL announcements.

This article covers how the Cup is constructed and updated, the NHL eligibility rules that govern who can be inscribed, notable women whose names appear on the Cup, and practical steps you can take to confirm a specific inscription.

Minimalist 2D vector illustration of vintage Detroit Red Wings era hockey memorabilia on dark Funded Plays background evoking a historic black and white photo with subtle reference to Marguerite Norris scoresandodds nhl

Definition and context: what the Stanley Cup inscription tradition is

What the Stanley Cup is and how the bands work

The Stanley Cup is a unique trophy made of stacked bands that are engraved with names of champions, and when a band fills it is retired to the Hockey Hall of Fame and a blank band is added for future champions, a process explained by the league's description of the Cup's care and engraving practice NHL.com guide to how names get engraved on the Stanley Cup and the Hall of Fame facts page Stanley Cup Facts, Firsts & Faux Paus

How names are added and retired

Each season the winning club submits a list of names to be engraved and the Cup is updated annually after the champion is confirmed; the Cup's archive and league documentation describe how the bands are rotated and preserved for the Hockey Hall of Fame Hockey Hall of Fame Stanley Cup archives and official NHL records Things to Know About the Stanley Cup

Core framework: NHL engraving eligibility and the 52-name submission process

Standard player eligibility thresholds

The NHL generally requires a player to have played in at least 41 regular-season games for the champion or in at least one Stanley Cup Final game to qualify for automatic engraving, with teams able to petition for exceptions in special cases NHL.com explanation of engraving eligibility

Verify Stanley Cup inscriptions with primary sources

For readers who want a concise checklist of the official rules and how to confirm exceptions, follow the verification steps in the sections below and consult primary sources listed there

View verification steps and resources

Team submission cap and petition exceptions

Clubs may submit up to 52 names for engraving including players, coaches, and selected staff or executives, and the league reviews petitions when teams request exceptions for injured or uniquely contributing individuals ESPN explainer on Stanley Cup engraving rules and exceptions

Decision criteria: how teams and the league decide who gets engraved

Who is prioritized on the 52 slots

Teams typically prioritize players who meet the standard eligibility, followed by coaches, key support staff and executives, when allocating the limited 52 engraving slots; league guidance outlines the categories of people clubs commonly include NHL.com on who can be engraved

How injured or short-season players are handled

When a player falls short of the automatic thresholds because of injury, midseason trade or other factors, clubs can petition the NHL to request an exception and must provide supporting justification for such cases ESPN on petitions and how exceptions are evaluated

Documented examples: women whose names are on the Stanley Cup

Marguerite Norris and early firsts

Marguerite Norris is recognized as the first woman to be officially engraved on the Stanley Cup for the Detroit Red Wings in the 1954 and 1955 championship entries, a detail recorded by the Hockey Hall of Fame and documented historical summaries Hockey Hall of Fame women and the Stanley Cup page

Later examples and co-owners

Subsequent women whose names appear include owners and co-owners such as Sonia Scurfield with the 1989 Calgary Flames, Denise DeBartolo York with the 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins, and Marian Ilitch with late 1990s Red Wings championships, with several historical compilations noting these examples Sports Illustrated list of women on the Stanley Cup

Close up of engraved names on a Stanley Cup band with one or two names sharply in focus and remaining names softly blurred on a Funded Plays dark background scoresandodds nhl

Published lists compiled before 2024 remain useful for early examples, but for recent champions the most reliable confirmation comes from the Hall of Fame archives and contemporary team or league announcements, which capture the latest engravings NHL team engraving announcement example. See modern coverage such as Yahoo Sports Hurricanes' Stanley Cup engraving coverage

How to verify a specific name on the Stanley Cup

Using the Hockey Hall of Fame Cup archives

The Hockey Hall of Fame maintains an archive and resources that let researchers and fans check whether a particular name appears on the Cup, and that archive is the primary reference for historical inscriptions Hockey Hall of Fame Stanley Cup resources

Checking team and NHL engraving announcements

Clubs and the NHL publish post-championship engraving lists and press releases that name the players and staff submitted for engraving, and those contemporary announcements are the best source for the most recent inscriptions Example NHL team engraving announcement

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View verification steps and resources

Because some published historical lists predate the most recent engravings, save or screenshot official team and league lists when you find them so you have a dated record for verification NHL.com guidance on engraving and record keeping and keep a dated record on your own site such as Funded Plays for reference

Typical mistakes and myths about names on the Cup

Confusing team rings, replicas, or names on banners with Cup engravings

Not all team rings, arena banners or replica trophies match the actual engravings on the original Stanley Cup, and relying on replicas or photos of banners can lead to incorrect conclusions about who is physically inscribed on the Cup NHL.com description of Cup rings and preservation

Assuming anyone affiliated with a team is automatically engraved

A common misunderstanding is that every staff member, contributor or affiliate of a champion is engraved; in reality eligibility thresholds and the 52-name limit mean teams make selective choices about who is submitted for engraving ESPN on engraving limits and selection

Relying only on fan lists or social posts

Fan-compiled lists and social media posts can be helpful starting points but they are not primary records; always cross-check those claims against Hall of Fame archives and official team or league announcements to confirm an inscription Hockey Hall of Fame archival resource

Practical scenarios and examples readers may search for

If you think a relative or local figure is on the Cup

If you suspect a relative or local figure is engraved, start with a search of the Hall of Fame archives and the winning team’s post-championship announcement, and prioritize dated official sources when evidence conflicts Hockey Hall of Fame archive

If a modern team petitions to add a name

When clubs petition to add names for injured or special-contribution players the NHL evaluates those requests case by case, and published explanations of exceptions provide context for how and why petitions are accepted or denied ESPN on petition examples

quick verification checklist for confirming a name on the Stanley Cup

Check Hall of Fame archive
Check team engraving announcement
Save dated screenshots
Check NHL press release

Start with the Hall of Fame archive

Example checklist steps are simple to follow: search the Hall of Fame archive for the inscription, find the championship year and team announcement, compare names, and save official pages as dated records to resolve later discrepancies NHL team announcement example for verification

Wrap-up: key takeaways and where to look next

Main conclusions

Women are recorded on the Stanley Cup starting with Marguerite Norris, and subsequent owners and executives have been added to the Cup over the decades, as shown in Hall of Fame and historical summaries Hockey Hall of Fame women and the Stanley Cup

Sources for further checking

The clearest primary sources for follow-up are the Hockey Hall of Fame archives and the post-championship engraving lists released by teams and the NHL, which together offer the definitive records for who is inscribed in any given year NHL.com on engraving rules and archives and a related discussion in our blog how funded plays evaluations work

How can I confirm a specific name is on the Stanley Cup?

Start with the Hockey Hall of Fame archives, then check the winning team’s post-championship engraving announcement and any NHL press releases for that season.

Does everyone on a championship team get their name engraved?

No. Automatic eligibility requires meeting the league thresholds and teams must fit names into a 52-person limit, so clubs select who is submitted.

Who was the first woman engraved on the Stanley Cup?

Marguerite Norris is recorded as the first woman officially engraved on the Stanley Cup for the Detroit Red Wings in the 1950s.

If you want to confirm a particular name, start with the Hall of Fame archive and then locate the team or NHL engraving announcement for that championship year. Those primary records are the most reliable way to resolve contradictory online lists. For readers interested in sports prediction or practicing research workflows around sports records, exploring challenge-based platforms can help build repeatable verification and analytical habits without implying guaranteed outcomes.