Sheila first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Sheila has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Sheila

A feminine name of Celtic origin meaning "from the fairy people".

Popularity of Sheila by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Sheila is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 100% of people named Sheila being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 101 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Sheila.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 0 101
2022 0 127
2021 0 114
2020 0 131
2019 0 90
2018 0 96
2017 0 104
2016 0 114
2015 0 124
2014 0 161
2013 0 145
2012 0 145
2011 0 183
2010 0 186
2009 0 170
2008 0 224
2007 0 271
2006 0 279
2005 0 240
2004 0 315
2003 0 303
2002 0 340
2001 0 383
2000 0 343
1999 0 353
1998 0 348
1997 0 309
1996 0 378
1995 0 395
1994 0 419
1993 0 543
1992 0 642
1991 0 633
1990 0 626
1989 8 658
1988 7 711
1987 0 800
1986 6 979
1985 0 1,012
1984 0 908
1983 5 946
1982 6 1,099
1981 7 1,214
1980 5 1,213
1979 5 1,369
1978 7 1,414
1977 8 1,656
1976 12 1,871
1975 8 2,099
1974 11 2,438

The history of the first name Sheila

Sheila is a feminine given name of Irish origin. It is an anglicized form of the Irish Gaelic name Síle, which is a pet form of the name Síghle. Síghle itself is derived from the Old Irish word síghle, meaning "fairy."

The name Sheila is believed to have emerged in the late Middle Ages, around the 15th or 16th century. It was initially used in Ireland and Scotland before spreading to other parts of the English-speaking world.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name Sheila can be found in the 16th-century Irish annals, where it appears as a variant spelling of Síle. However, the name did not become widely popular until the 19th and 20th centuries.

Some notable historical figures named Sheila include:

  1. Sheila Scott (1922-1988), a British aviator and pioneer in long-distance flight.
  2. Sheila Kaye-Smith (1887-1956), an English novelist and writer known for her novels set in the English countryside.
  3. Sheila Gish (1942-2005), an American actress and dancer, best known for her roles in films such as "The Last Picture Show" and "Badlands."
  4. Sheila Michaels (1939-2021), an American civil rights activist and advocate for disability rights.
  5. Sheila Lukins (1942-2009), an American cookbook author and co-founder of the famous Silverpalate food company.

Throughout history, the name Sheila has been associated with various meanings, including "fairy-like," "blinding," or "blind." This is likely due to its connection with the Old Irish word síghle, which is related to the concept of fairies or supernatural beings.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Sheila was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sheila, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Sheila first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 13, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/sheila-meaning-and-history/.

"Sheila first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/sheila-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 13 December, 2024

Sheila first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/sheila-meaning-and-history/.

Search for a name

Search for a first or last name to learn more about its origin, meaning, and more.

Simple as that.