Sheila
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Sheila is an Irish name meaning “blind”. It is a common name, overwhelmingly used for girls, with 99.99% female usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Sheila
Sheila is a name of Irish origin, serving as an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Siobhán or Síle. These names are historically linked to the Latin name Caecilia, which is derived from the word for blind. Through centuries of linguistic evolution in Ireland, Síle became the primary vernacular equivalent of Cecilia. Its adoption into English-speaking naming customs provided a distinct regional alternative that gained wide recognition during the 20th century.
Meaning Comments
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Gender Usage of the Name Sheila
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Sheila is overwhelmingly used as a name for girls. Approximately 99.99% of recorded bearers are female. This classification is supported by extensive records and is considered highly reliable.
Popularity of the Name Sheila
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Sheila is listed under Common Girl Names worldwide. Its overall popularity is supported by stronger usage in United Kingdom across the available regional markets.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Common | 1 in every 20K births |
| United Kingdom | Popular | 1 in every 3.1K births |
| Canada | Popular | 1 in every 39K births |
| Australia | Uncommon | 1 in every 848K births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Sheila ranked #2,500 on the Popular Girls’ Names Worldwide List (2025). It rose from #3,111 in 2024 — an improvement of 611 places. Sheila shows meaningful recent movement in rank, though it remains uncommon overall.
Historically, its best recorded position was #53, achieved in 1942 and 1943. Its lowest recorded position was #3,295 in 2023. Over the last 5 years (2020–2025) the name rose 96 places (from #2,596 to #2,500).
Name StyleMethodology
Sheila is classified as Timeless Girl Names because it appears across 97% of recorded years, averages 2,320 births per year over its full timeline, and still averages 397 births per year recently.Characteristics of the Name Sheila
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 2 syllables — Two-Syllable Girl Names
- Length
- 6 letters — Medium-Length Girl Names
- Starts with
- S — Girl Names Starting with S
- Ends with
- a — Girl Names Ending in “a”
Name AestheticMethodology
Sheila possesses a two-syllable structure that resolves on a soft vowel. Its prevalence in mid-20th-century media, particularly with the Sheila character in popular musical theater, reinforces a Vintage Revival profile.
Middle Names For Sheila
Middle names used with SheilaMethodology
Sheila is most frequently used with these girl middle names: Sheila Ann · Sheila Marie · Sheila Denise · Sheila Renee · Sheila DianeView all 1,709 girl middle names.
- Total 2,369 middle names used with Sheila
- 138 boy middle names used with Sheila
- 475 unisex middle names used with Sheila
Middle name suggestions for SheilaMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Sheila is most frequently associated with girl middle names that have Strong stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “m”.
Examples: Sheila Moore · Sheila Mills · Sheila Marsh · Sheila Marks · Sheila Moose. View all 101 suggested middle names.
Associations of the Name Sheila
Flower AssociationsMethodology
As one of the Flower-Inspired Girl Names, Sheila also appears as the common name of Sheila Phipps' Hawthorn (Crataegus sheila-phippsiae J.B.Phipps & O'Kennon) in the Rosaceae family.
Additional Natural MatchesMethodology
The complete dataset includes 1 biological record matching the name Sheila. Browse all matching record with their scientific names and taxonomic details.
Names Similar to Sheila
Sound Like Sheila Finder
Names with the exact same overall pronunciation and sound: Chloe · Shelley · Shelly · View all Top 100 names
Spelled Like Sheila Finder
Names with similar spelling patterns and letter sequences: Sheilah · Sheilla · Sheyla · View all 12 names
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: Sharon · Shirley · Charlotte · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Sheila Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Patricia · Linda · Barbara · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Mary · Linda · Sarah · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Sheila”
Dictionary Meaning of "Sheila"Methodology
Alternative form of shayla
Examples
- They sport short hair, no makeup, and do not wear a sheila.
Alternative Forms
More Info
How to Spell Sheila in ASL
- S
- h
- e
- i
- l
- a
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