Sheila

Sheila is an Anglicized form of the Irish name Síle, itself a Gaelic adaptation of the Latin Caecilia, the feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, derived from the Latin caecus meaning blind. The name was borne by the early Christian martyr Saint Cecilia, patron saint of music, whose veneration helped spread the name throughout medieval Europe. Sheila became especially common in Ireland and was later adopted widely in Australia, where it developed as a general colloquial term for a woman. Related forms include Cecilia, Cecily, Celia, and Síle.