Sheila Baby Name: Meaning, Origin, Middle Name Pairings & More

Sheila is a common Irish name. The name first appeared in 1907 when it was given to nine newborn babies. Sheila is commonly known to mean “heavenly.”

Meaning of the name Sheila

Irish: Heavenly

Origin of the name Sheila

Sheila was derived from the Irish name Sile is believed to be the Gaelic form of Caelia, a Latin name. It is the female form of the Roman clan’s name Caelius.

Symbolism of the name Sheila

Sheila is a spiritual name that brings love and new starts into life. They have eventful, exciting lives with a tendency toward promoting original ideas.

Style of the name Sheila

Classic

Gender of the name Sheila

Sheila is a girl's name.

Pronunciation of the name Sheila

SHE-lah

Number of syllables in the name Sheila

Two

Emotion evoked from the name Sheila

Sheila is a free spirit with excellent coping skills. She loves to travel and leisure and has a strong faith. Quiet time is important to her.

Alternative spellings for the name Sheila

• Sheela
• Sheelagh
• Sheilagh
• Shelagh
• Sile
• Shiela 
• Sheyla

Nicknames for the name Sheila

• Shelia
• Shelly 
• Sheshe
• Celia 
• Shei
• Lia 
• Sheil

Popularity of the name Sheila

The name Sheila started picking up popularity around 1917. Three years later in 1920, the popularity had doubled. It continued to grow as the most popular around the late 1950s and early 1960s, with the peak popularity in 1965. From there it began to decline and reached its lowest point in 2007.

Related names for the name Sheila

• Shyla
• Sheyla
• Nila
• Isla 
• Shaila
• Lila 
• Leela
• Leila 

Great middle names for Sheila and their meanings

• Luisa (famous warrior)
• Alicia (noble)
• Silvana (forest)
• Beth (my god)
• Iris (goddess of the rainbow)
• Melina (honey)
• Marsha (dedicated to Mars)
• Rae (female sheep)
• Nicole (people of victory)

Famous people with the name Sheila

• Sheila E (American singer and drummer)
• Sheila Hicks (American artist)
• Sheila Hoskin (English track and field athlete)
• Sheila Dikshit (Chief Minister of Delhi, India from 1998-2003)
• Sheila Ellison (American author on parenting and relationships)
• Sheila Florance (Australian actress)
• Sheila Henig (Canadian pianist)
• Sheila Gordon (South African novelist)

Sheilas in popular culture

• Sheila in Australia (a general slang term for girl or woman)
• Sheila Bennet (Bonnie’s grandma in The Vampire Diaries)
• Sheila Bryant (character in A Chorus Line)
• Sheila (main character in animated television’s Dungeon and Dragons)
• Sheila character in Army of Darkness