Girls' name · since 1978
Cheila
Since 1978, U.S. Social Security records show 121 babies named Cheila, peaking in 2002. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #25,005 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 121
- born since 1978
- 2000s
- peak decade
Cheila sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 121 recorded since 1978.
Social Security Administration records show Cheila recorded 121 times among girls since 1978, though it doesn't currently rank among the most-used girls names, peaking in the 2000s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1978 to 2011.
- #25,005 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 121 born since 1978
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Cheila ranks #25,005 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 121 born since 1978, peaking in the 2000s.
- #25,005 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 121
- born since 1978
- 2000s
- peak decade
Cheila's 121 recorded births place it above 65.34% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
No state rows cleared SSA’s public reporting threshold for this name.
Cheila's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Cheila's full recorded timeline at 1999, 55% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 45% in the earlier half -- a fairly even split across the full record. Its quietest year on record was 1978, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2002 peak of 11 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Cheila popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1978–2011
- Peak year (2002)
- 11
- Annual births at peak, across 34 years of records
Cheila by decade
2000s is the heaviest window (49 births, 40% of the file).
2000s was Cheila's strongest decade.
49 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.
Cheila births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 17
1980s
17 births
- 1990s
1990s
38 births
- 2000s
2000s
49 births
- 2010s 12
2010s
12 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 49 births (40% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Cheila? ▼
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When was Cheila most popular? ▼
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What to do with Cheila's data
- Cheila's decade-level peak was the 2000s (49 total births); usage has since declined to 12 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Cheila
Nearby Names Like Cheila
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Cheila
Compare Cheila side by side: Cheila vs Cheryl Cheila vs Chelsea Cheila vs Cheyenne
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Cheila: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2002)
Similar record span (~33 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1978–2011 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Cheila draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.