Irish girl name
Sheila Name Meaning, Origin & Pronunciation
Sheila means form of cecilia (possibly blind). Anglicised from Irish Síle, a form of Cecilia.
Sheila is the English form of the Irish Síle, which was itself an Irish form of the Latin Cecilia. The Latin name is often linked to the word caecus, meaning blind, though this is debated. Sheila was widely used in Ireland and in Irish communities abroad in the twentieth century, and in Australia the word became an informal term for a woman. Síle is pronounced SHEE-luh, while Sheila na Gig is the name of a medieval carving found on churches in Ireland.
Pronunciation by a native speaker.
How to pronounce Sheila
SHEE·la
Sheila has 2 syllables. The stress falls on the first syllable (shown in bold). Say it as written in the respelling, with each capitalised part spoken a little louder.
Why the spelling looks different from the sound
- ei / ea: "ei" is often "eh" or "ay", and "ea" is often "a" as in "cat" or "ay" depending on the word (Eimear, Neasa, Deirdre).
More on silent letters · Irish names people mispronounce.
Irish, Welsh and Gaelic dialects differ from region to region, so you may hear more than one correct version.
Variants of Sheila
SheelaghSheelahShelaghSíle
A well-known Sheila
Sheila Hancock.
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sheila mean?
Sheila means "form of cecilia (possibly blind)". Anglicised from Irish Síle, a form of Cecilia.
How do you pronounce Sheila?
Sheila is pronounced SHEE-la.
What is the origin of Sheila?
Sheila is an Irish girl name. In Irish it is written Síle.
How many syllables are in Sheila?
Sheila has 2 syllables, with the stress on the first one.
Why is Sheila spelled the way it is?
The spelling follows Irish spelling conventions rather than English ones. "ei" is often "eh" or "ay", and "ea" is often "a" as in "cat" or "ay" depending on the word (Eimear, Neasa, Deirdre).
What are other spellings of Sheila?
Other spellings and forms include Sheelagh, Sheelah, Shelagh, Síle.