Sheila
Anglicized spelling of Irish Síle, equivalent to Cecilia.
Every Sheila since 1907 — 239,422 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sheila
Sheila is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #2,686 in 2025 with 65 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1907, 239,422 American babies have been named Sheila. Its peak came in 1962, when 8,807 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sheila stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sheila year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | #2,686 | — | — |
| 2024 | 97 | #2,031 | — | — |
| 2023 | 102 | #1,942 | — | — |
| 2022 | 127 | #1,667 | — | — |
| 2021 | 115 | #1,779 | — | — |
| 2020 | 131 | #1,605 | — | — |
| 2019 | 90 | #2,105 | — | — |
| 2018 | 96 | #2,045 | — | — |
| 2017 | 104 | #1,941 | — | — |
| 2016 | 114 | #1,826 | — | — |
| 2015 | 124 | #1,708 | — | — |
| 2014 | 162 | #1,413 | — | — |
| 2013 | 145 | #1,523 | — | — |
| 2012 | 145 | #1,528 | — | — |
| 2011 | 183 | #1,291 | — | — |
| 2010 | 186 | #1,283 | — | — |
| 2009 | 170 | #1,395 | — | — |
| 2008 | 224 | #1,149 | — | — |
| 2007 | 271 | #990 | — | — |
| 2006 | 279 | #941 | — | — |
| 2005 | 240 | #1,018 | — | — |
| 2004 | 315 | #803 | — | — |
| 2003 | 303 | #819 | — | — |
| 2002 | 340 | #723 | — | — |
| 2001 | 383 | #658 | — | — |
| 2000 | 343 | #689 | — | — |
| 1995 | 395 | #583 | — | — |
| 1990 | 626 | #413 | — | — |
| 1985 | 1,012 | #251 | — | — |
| 1980 | 1,214 | #214 | 5 | #7,139 |
| 1975 | 2,099 | #134 | 8 | #4,253 |
| 1970 | 4,937 | #75 | 10 | #3,246 |
| 1965 | 7,904 | #50 | 28 | #1,478 |
| 1960 | 7,905 | #56 | 20 | #1,851 |
| 1955 | 7,661 | #57 | 7 | #3,465 |
| 1950 | 5,322 | #70 | 15 | #2,011 |
| 1945 | 3,178 | #89 | 7 | #2,962 |
| 1940 | 1,923 | #130 | — | — |
| 1935 | 1,326 | #151 | 6 | #3,596 |
| 1930 | 341 | #364 | — | — |
| 1925 | 214 | #478 | — | — |
| 1920 | 91 | #767 | — | — |
| 1915 | 42 | #1,039 | — | — |
| 1910 | 10 | #1,614 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sheila
- Sheila Dikshit Politician · 1938–2019
- Sheila E. Singer · b. 1957
- Sheila Hancock Actor · b. 1933
- Sheila Young Skater · b. 1950
- Sheila Kelley Actor · b. 1961
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sheila mean?
Anglicized spelling of Irish Síle, equivalent to Cecilia.
How popular is the name Sheila in 2025?
Sheila ranked #2,686 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 65 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sheila?
239,422 babies have been named Sheila in the United States since 1907, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sheila most popular?
Sheila peaked in 1962, when 8,807 newborns received the name.
Is Sheila a boy or girl name?
Sheila is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sheila rising or falling?
Sheila is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sheila?
Well-known people named Sheila include Sheila Dikshit (politician), Sheila E. (singer), Sheila Hancock (actor).