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Baby names

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Original poster

Is Sheila cute or too old fashioned?

80 replies

octonuddle · 28/01/2017 14:50

Was my lovely mum's name and would love to use it but wonder if it is too marmite a name? Any thoughts?

OP posts:
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PenelopeFlintstone · 29/01/2017 02:39

I thought of Shayla as a modern version of Sheila. I love the sound of it, almost called my daughter Layla. I've just checked and it's not made up - it's very old Gaelic and also Hebrew.

PollyCazaletWannabe · 29/01/2017 03:30

It has a lovely sound. Use it OP :)

MitzyLeFrouf · 29/01/2017 03:55

'What is cute for your 3.5kg bundle of joy may not be cute in 5, 10, 15 years time.'

And likewise, what's currently considered a great name for a 15 year old might be deemed terribly naff in 15 years time. Whereas Sheila will probably be coming back into fashion.

MitzyLeFrouf · 29/01/2017 03:56

I do prefer the Síle spelling, but obv. that would be unusual for a non Irish baby.

MitzyLeFrouf · 29/01/2017 03:59

'fourteen years ago i really wanted to call my baby "florence" but at the time it would have made her quite unusual. it was to honour a very special maiden great aunt. sadly i bottled it. really really regret it now.'

Exactly! Would have sounded very old fashioned to most people (but lovely to you) 14 years ago but you'd have been just a few years ahead of the Florence trend.

HeadlessGummyBears · 30/01/2017 06:15

Go for it. Sheila is a lovely name Smile Besides, it doesn't matter if it's not fashionable, what matters is what the name means to you.

SloanyAnne · 30/01/2017 06:26

I like it. I know 2 Sheilas and they are lovely women. It's in the same vein as the Coren Mitchells calling their baby Barbara. I like it a lot more than Storm, Apple, Glasgow or the random sack of phonemes that knock around as names.

user1477282676 · 30/01/2017 06:28

Oh I think it's gorgeous. But I do like that era of names now...Jean is also lovely imo. Sheila is a beautiful name.

Driffield · 30/01/2017 06:41

I like it. I know a baby Valerie and a Gloria so things are moving in a shiela direction

CoolJazz · 30/01/2017 13:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BigGreenOlives · 30/01/2017 13:45

Will you mind if every time someone hears it for the first time says 'My aunt/grandmother/grandmother's best friend was called Sheila?'.

Pipilangstrumpf · 30/01/2017 15:11

That's a much better response than "I already know two other Evies/Ellies/other fashionable name"

TenMinutesLate · 30/01/2017 15:26

Knowing it isn't a 'fashionable' name would make me want to use it more. I think it's a lovely name and hope you do use it.

And any 80's children out there who loved a bit of Saturday morning telly.....my Godmother is a Shelia. My DB had trouble with his speech and couldn't say it so called her She-Ra instead. So cool 😎

Original poster
octonuddle · 31/01/2017 19:22

Thanks everyone for your thoughts! I'm not so keen on any of the Sheila variations suggested. I do like the Gloria, Jean and Valerie type names though.....maybe I should be naming a 60 year old woman instead Blush
I'm still divided but feeling brave enough to float it by DH now to see what he thinks!

OP posts:
llangennith · 31/01/2017 19:26

I'm 65 and we laughed at those names at school even in the 50sGrin

tryingtogetbacktome · 31/01/2017 19:26

Mega cute!!! Love old fashioned names

Garnethair · 31/01/2017 19:32

It's your mum's name. What a lovely thing to pass it onto your daughter. Lovely.

dailymaillazyjournos · 31/01/2017 20:18

I think if you love the name (as well as it being a lovely way to honour your DM), I'd go for it. If you don't actually the name in and of itself, maybe as a middle name?

My late DM was Barbara. She hated the name, I didn't like it either and it didn't suit my Mum's personality or looks somehow, so I'd not have thought of calling my DD it. I think it also depends on your thoughts about the name itself as to whether you use Sheila as a first or a middle name.

ShelaghTurner · 31/01/2017 20:34

Lovely name. I'm very fond of it.

FuzzyOwl · 31/01/2017 20:42

Why not use your mum's middle name, which is also your first name, as the baby's middle name. That way your daughter will have a significant name from two generations and you know it is a name your mum would approve of as she gave it to her own daughter.

Bigfam · 31/01/2017 20:43

My nan's called sheila, I like it, but I've got a Patsy (which is apparently really 'old lady' but an unfashionable one! Wink)

EsmesBees · 31/01/2017 20:46

I think it's a great name. Everyone will have heard of it and know how to spell it but she'll be the only one in her class.

I was given a name in the 80s that was unpopular then but is very popular now. It's nice being the only one of my generation. Especially at work- I work in a huge organisation and we often have 'do you mean Claire in finance or Claire in Legal?' type conversations, while mine is so unusual I'm normally just referred to by my first name.

namesstress2323 · 31/01/2017 20:46

Does she go out with her mate Stella? (jamie t song is all i think of)

Sweets101 · 31/01/2017 20:47

I've never really thought about it before but reading it so many times on this thread I think it's lovely.
Why wouldn't you use it? I think it would be a far better choice than going for something popular. Popular names date terribly.

junebirthdaygirl · 31/01/2017 21:05

Sile is the Irish name for Julie, Julia and Judy if that is any help. Was your mum Irish as Sheila wad a popular lrish name years ago. Absolutely none now. But that's good as it is original.