Shelia
Shelia was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1959, when it ranked 170th with 2,283 babies. More babies were named Shelia in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Meaning variant of Sheila (Cecilia) · Irish, Latin
Say it SHEE-luh /ˈʃilə/
- Rank in 2025
- Not rankedgirls
- Babies in 2025
- 0girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19592,283 babies
- Total since 1880
- 47,891babies recorded
What does the name Shelia mean?
Shelia is a variant spelling of Sheila, an English rendering of the Irish Síle, which is the Irish form of Cecilia. Cecilia comes from the Roman family name Caecilius, which DMNES says may derive from Latin caecus, "blind". Saint Cecilia, patron of music, made the name popular in medieval Europe. Shelia was most common in the US in the 1950s and 1960s.
Síle (Irish, “Irish form of Cecilia”)Caecilia (Latin, “feminine of the family name Caecilius”)
How sure is this? Well established. Shelia is a form of Sheila/Cecilia; the link of Caecilius to caecus "blind" is possible, not certain.
Pronunciation: Most bearers say it like Sheila.
Related names: Sheila, Cecilia, Celia, Shelagh.
See also: Latin names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Shelia', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Sheila', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Cecilia', DMNES (Durham University)
Shelia popularity since 1880
A few boys are given the name too: 111 since 1954.
| Year | Rank (girls) | Babies (girls) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2020 | #9,453 | 11 |
| 2010 | #9,153 | 13 |
| 2000 | #4,636 | 26 |
| 1990 | #1,778 | 82 |
| 1980 | #762 | 218 |
| 1970 | #258 | 1,192 |
| 1960 | #177 | 2,256 |
| 1950 | #242 | 957 |
| 1940 | #785 | 82 |
| 1930 | #3,025 | 10 |
| 1920 | #4,335 | 7 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Shelia, counting every spelling?
Shelia has no other common spelling that sounds the same.
How old are people named Shelia?
About 39,500 people born in the US named Shelia are alive today, with a median age of 64; half are between 58 and 70. That makes Shelia a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Shelia by state
How common Shelia was among girls born in each state in 1957–1961, around its peak. It is notably more common than nationally in Alabama (5.1×), Louisiana (4.4×), Tennessee (4.4×), Mississippi (4.0×), North Carolina (3.9×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Connecticut, Arizona, Nebraska.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Shelia: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Shelia, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Shelia
What does Shelia mean?
Shelia means “variant of Sheila (Cecilia)” (Irish, Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Shelia?
Shelia was not among the names given to 5 or more girls in 2025. Its best year was 1959, when it ranked 170th with 2,283 babies. More babies were named Shelia in the 1960s than in any other decade.
Is Shelia a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Shelia in the US.
Where was Shelia most popular?
In 1957–1961, Shelia was most common in Alabama (5.44 per 1,000 girls), followed by Louisiana and Tennessee.