Given name · also Irish
Sheila
“one who is blind”·“one of cool conduct and character”
In English use, Sheila is a variant of Sheela. One Indian interpretation is “one of cool conduct and character.”
Original IrishSíle
Meaning & origin
What it means
In Irish use, Sheila carries the interpretation “one who is blind.” In English use, Sheila is a variant of Sheela. One Indian interpretation is “one of cool conduct and character.”
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Irish.
How it developed
Sheila is used as a spelling variant of Irish. Sheila is used as a form of Cecilia.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1907. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Sheila through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 239,422
- 648 boys · 238,774 girls
- Most popular year
- 1962
- 8,807 babies
- 2025
- 65
- #2,686 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −5%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 65 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,686 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 5.4% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 8,778 in 1962. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (12). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 202,159 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Sheila’s family of names
In English usage, Sheila shares an earlier linguistic root with Cecilia. In English usage, Sheila has a related form in SHELIA. Sheila is a form of Cecilia.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Sheila has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Irish roots to each of them.
Irishwhere Sheila comes from · 1 name
Nicknames & forms 17
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 10
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Síleroot · Irish
- Ceciliadoublet · Spanish, English
- Shelaequivalent
- ШейлаRussian
- Cecíliadoublet · Portuguese
- Sileoriginal
- Caeciliaroot · Latin
- SìleScottish Gaelic
Show 2 moreShow fewer
See also 2
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Sheila
- Sheila DikshitIndian politician and former Chief Minister of Delhi (1938-2019)
- Sheila Jackson LeeAmerican lawyer and politician (1950–2024)
- Sheila E.American singer and percussionist (born 1957)
- Sheila JordanAmerican jazz singer (1928–2025)
- Sheila YoungAmerican speed skater and racing cyclistborn 1950
- Sheila McCarthyCanadian actressborn 1956
- Sheila HancockBritish actressborn 1933
- Sheila JeffreysBritish feministborn 1948
- Sheila WidnallAmerican aerospace researcher and educatorborn 1938
Characters named Sheila: Sheila Broflovski (South Park).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Sheila, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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