Sheila

See also: sheila

English

Etymology 1

Anglicized spelling of Irish Síle, equivalent to Cecilia. Doublet of Cecilia.

Proper noun

Sheila

  1. A female given name from Irish, popular in the UK from the 1920s to the 1950s; variant forms Shelagh, Sheelagh, Sheilagh, Sheela, Sile.
    • 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.
Descendants
  • Cebuano: Sheila
  • Japanese: シェイラ
  • Portuguese: Sheila
  • Spanish: Sheila
Translations

Etymology 2

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

Proper noun

Sheila

  1. Alternative form 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

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

 
 

Proper noun

Sheila f

  1. a female given name from English [in turn from Irish], equivalent to English Sheila
  2. (Porto, derogatory, vulgar) slut (woman seeking attention through inappropriate clothing and make-up)

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 from English [in turn from Irish], equivalent to English Sheila