The story behind Sheila
Anglicized spelling of Irish Síle, equivalent to Cecilia. Doublet of Cecilia.
Other language forms and explanations (2)
Portuguese entry
Unadapted borrowing from English Sheila, from Irish Síle, from Latin Caecilia. Doublet of Cecília.
Spanish entry
Unadapted borrowing from English Sheila, from Irish Síle, from Latin Cecilia.
Pronunciation
US English (ARPAbet): SH IY1 L AH0
Regional pronunciation variants
- Portuguese; Brazil: /ˈʃej.lɐ/
- Portuguese; Brazil: [ˈʃeɪ̯.lɐ]
- Portuguese; Portugal: /ˈʃɐj.lɐ/
- Portuguese; Northern; Portugal: /ˈʃej.lɐ/
- Portuguese; Central; Portugal: /ˈʃej.lɐ/
- Portuguese; Portugal; Southern: /ˈʃe.lɐ/
- Spanish: /ˈʃeila/
- Spanish: [ˈʃei̯.la]
This is a US English dictionary reading of the spelling; personal pronunciations may differ. Digits mark stress: 0 is unstressed, 1 is primary, 2 is secondary. Pronunciation source and notation.
Popularity
Sheila ranked #2686 in US for 2025.
Source: SSA national baby names
Names Similar to Sheila
Selma
From English Selma. Borrowed from English, from various similar-sounding female given names.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Shauna
From Shaun + -a, variant of Irish Seán, from Old French Jehan, from Latin Johannes, variant of Ioannes, from Koine Greek Ἰωάννης (Iōánnēs), from Hebrew יוֹחָנָן (Yōḥānān,…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Sienna
From the colour sienna.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Sorcha
Borrowed from Irish and Scottish Gaelic Sorcha (literally “light, radiant”). From sorcha (“bright, clear, conspicuous”), from Old Irish sorchae (“bright, luminous”). From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Aisaya
Borrowed from English Isaiah.
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Alma
Usually explained as Latin alma (“nourishing, kind”). It has also been used as a short form of Germanic compound names beginning with the element Amal-, as in Amelia. From…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends A
- same syllable count
- similar length
Middle Names for Sheila
Belle
From French belle (“beauty, beautiful”), from Latin bella. Diminutive of Isabelle and Annabelle.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Bernadette
From French Bernadette, made famous by St. Bernadette of Lourdes. Borrowed from English Bernadette, from French Bernadette.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Blue
From the German surname, Americanized from Blau or its French cognate bleu.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 1 syllable
- Ending
- ends E
- balanced syllable contrast
- good length contrast
Sibling Names for Sheila
Aaron
From Latin Aaron, from Ancient Greek Ἀαρών (Aarṓn), from Hebrew אַהֲרֹן (ʾAhărōn), of unknown meaning, possibly meaning “bearer of martyrs”, or perhaps also, or instead,…
- Gender
- masculine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends N
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abby
Borrowed from English Abby in the 20th century. Borrowed from English Abby.
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 2 syllables
- Ending
- ends Y
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length
Abigail
From Hebrew אֲבִיגַיִל (avigáyil, “Abigail”, literally “my Father's joy” or “fountain of joy”). a female given name from Hebrew, equivalent to English Abigail Borrowed from…
- Gender
- feminine
- Syllables
- 3 syllables
- Ending
- ends L
- shared origin connection
- balanced name length