Sheila

See also: sheila

English

Alternative forms

• Shelagh, Sheelagh, Sheilagh
• Sheela (usual spelling of the Indian name; occasional spelling of the Irish name)
• Sile (an uncommon Anglicisation of the original Irish Síle)

Etymology 1

Anglicized spelling of Síle, the Irish form of Cecilia. Doublet of Cecilia.

Proper noun

Sheila

1. A female given name from Irish.
   • 1874, William Black, A Princess of Thule, Adamant Media Corporation, →ISBN, page 295:

     Were English girls not good enough for him that he must needs come up and take away Sheila Mackenzie, and keep her there in the South.

   • 1933, Eleanor Farjeon, “Girls' Names”, in Over the Garden Wall, Faber and Faber, page 91:

     What lovely names for girls there are! / There's Stella like the Evening Star, / And Sylvia like a rustling tree, / And Lola like a melody, / And Flora like a flowery morn, / And Sheila like a field of corn,

   • 2008, Helen Walsh, Once Upon a Time in England, →ISBN:

     He shortened her name to Sheila which, in spite of its primness, she seemed to love. - - - For Susheela - Sheila, as she was now known - this creeping daylight signalled the start, not the end of sleep.

Usage notes

Originally used in Ireland; popular in the UK from the 1920s to the 1950s.

Translations

female given name

• Cebuano: Sheila
• Irish: Síle f
• Japanese: シェイラ (Sheira), シイラ (Shīra)
• Portuguese: Sheila (pt) f
• Scottish Gaelic: Sìle f

Etymology 2

From Hindi शीला (śīlā), from Sanskrit शील (śīla, “character, good conduct”).

Proper noun

Sheila

1. Alternative spelling of Sheela

Usage notes

More commonly spelled Sheela, but this spelling is sometimes found under the influence of the unrelated name of Irish origin.

Anagrams

• Ashlie, Elahis, Elisha, Hailes, Hilsea, Salehi, e-hails, hailse

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Sheila, from Irish Síle, from Latin Cecilia.

Proper noun

Sheila

1. a female given name from English [in turn from Irish]

Portuguese

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English Sheila, from Irish Síle, from Latin Caecilia. Doublet of Cecília.

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʃej.lɐ/ [ˈʃeɪ̯.lɐ]

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʃej.lɐ/ [ˈʃeɪ̯.lɐ]
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈʃej.la/ [ˈʃeɪ̯.la]

 

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃɐj.lɐ/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃɐj.lɐ/
  • (Northern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃej.lɐ/
  • (Central Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃej.lɐ/
  • (Southern Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈʃe.lɐ/

Proper noun

Sheila f

1. a female given name from English, equivalent to English Sheila
2. (Portugal, Porto, vulgar or derogatory) a slut (a girl seeking attention through inappropriate clothing and make-up)

Related terms

• Cecília

Spanish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from English Sheila, from Irish Síle, from Latin Cecilia.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʃeila/ [ˈʃei̯.la]
• Rhymes: -eila
• Syllabification: Shei‧la

Proper noun

Sheila f

1. a female given name.

Related terms

• Cecilia