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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Baby names that sound like / honour “Sheila”

69 replies

SaveSheila · 05/09/2023 11:49

My beloved Mum passed away 2 years ago, and I’d like to honour her in naming my baby daughter.

the problem is, her Scottish dad named her Sheila and even though it is a beautiful sounding name, it’s unusable (it’s slang for “a woman” in Australia for anyone that doesn’t know, a bit like calling a girl “bird”).

does anyone have any ideas for names that sound a bit like Sheila (eg using the “Sh” and “la” sounds) or maybe other Scottish / Celtic names with similar resonance?

I’ve thought about “Celia” but I don’t really like that sibilant “see” sound.

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TaigaSno · 05/09/2023 13:50

Use Sheila as your daughter's middle name. Or use your mother's middle name, or her surname.
Or, if you don't like any of them, just choose whatever names you love. Giving your daughter a new different name doesn't mean you love your mum any less. Your mum was not just a name, she was a part of your life and that life and love carries on into your daughter with or without sharing a name.

You could do something else, like plant two trees next to each other to grow at the same time, one for your mum and one for your daughter.

Chocolatesandroses · 05/09/2023 13:49

We had same issue when my daughter was born was thinking of giving her my dh nans name as a middle name but wasn’t keen on Sheila . Some people came up with the idea of using the same letters in Shelia and seeing if it spells another name if that makes sense like Elisha which is a girls or boys name , Ashlie. Or other variants of the name Shayla , Leila ,Cilla or Zilla

WaltzingWaters · 05/09/2023 13:48

Use Sheila as the middle name

DuchessOfSausage · 05/09/2023 13:45

It's not really honouring your mother if you use a similar sounding name or a name with the same meaning.
XH's mother is Beryl which has the same meaning as Margaret, but calling a DC Sophia Margaret wouldn't have honoured his mum, it would have said 'we like you but not your name'.

Floralnomad · 05/09/2023 13:41

If you want to ‘honour’ someone by using their name then you have to actually use the name otherwise it’s pointless and honouring no one . Why not just use Sheila as a middle name .

minipie · 05/09/2023 13:39

What about your mum’s middle name or maiden name? Could you incorporate one of those if you don’t want to use Sheila?

I agree with a pp that a name which happens to share some sounds or letters with Sheila doesn’t quite do the job, I think it needs to be one of her names really or it’s too tenuous.

greyhairnomore · 05/09/2023 13:39

Shelley ?

blueskies23 · 05/09/2023 13:35

The English for Shiela is Julia

DuchessOfSausage · 05/09/2023 13:32

Leisha?
Sheila is a pretty sound. I'd use it. Look up some famous Sheilas.

OhYeahyeahyeah · 05/09/2023 13:30

I love Shiloh!

BellaVida · 05/09/2023 13:30

Celia
Lila/ Leila
Ashley

truetotal · 05/09/2023 13:12

Sileas. I think it can be pronounced a number of ways but the girl I knew was pronounced shee-liss (Scotland)

Toooldtocareanymore · 05/09/2023 13:12

i understand that the Scottish Sheila is the equivalent of Irish gaelic Sile. Also that Sile , translated from Irish into English is Julia- which is quite a pretty name and your daughters could be told its a translation if her nans name.

Newusernameaug · 05/09/2023 13:10

Leila pronounced Lee-lah rhymes with Sheila

AtalantaX · 05/09/2023 13:07

Gaelic! Not garlic!

WhatapityWapiti · 05/09/2023 13:05

Are you actually in Australia OP?

I have a very glamorous and sophisticated friend called Sheila in the UK, nobody has ever been concerned by the connection to the Australian expression.

WhatapityWapiti · 05/09/2023 13:04

MovingBird123 · 05/09/2023 12:11

There's Shula/Shulamit, but I would assume they're Jewish.

You’ve clearly never listened to the Archers!

Anoushkaka · 05/09/2023 13:02

I went to school with a girl called Shelaine.

It was a combination of both Grandmothers names, Sheila and Elaine.

Prounced Sh laine

Cartwheels82 · 05/09/2023 12:57

Shirley

Cartwheels82 · 05/09/2023 12:57

Shelly
Shea
Shay
Shayla

NannyR · 05/09/2023 12:39

I would use Sheila as a middle name if it is important to you to honour your mum. The other names suggested on this thread are lovely but having a few letters or a sound in common doesn't honour a loved ones name (in my opinion).

Minttee · 05/09/2023 12:32

Sasha
Shannon
Shelley
Stella

DRS1970 · 05/09/2023 12:13

Delia.

BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz · 05/09/2023 12:13

What about using her middle name/maiden name/birth month/favourite flower etc?

PhilippePhiloppe · 05/09/2023 12:12

Leela?