Girls' name · since 1924

Sheilah

Since 1924, U.S. Social Security records show 2,285 babies named Sheilah, peaking in 1955. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.

#4,307 of 72,339
all-time among girls
2,285
born since 1924
1950s
peak decade

Sheilah sits outside today's top ranks for girls, with 2,285 recorded since 1924.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sheilah has been recorded 2,285 times among girls since 1924, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1950s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1924 to 2009.

  • #4,307 of 72,339 all-time among girls
  • 2,285 born since 1924
  • 1950s peak decade

Data updated Aug 2026

The verdict

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sheilah ranks #4,307 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 2,285 born since 1924, peaking in the 1950s.

#4,307 of 72,339
all-time among girls
2,285
born since 1924
1950s
peak decade
Above the archive median
All-time archive position

Sheilah's 2,285 recorded births place it above 94.04% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.

22 jurisdictions
State-record footprint

22 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by New York.

Sheilah's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Sheilah splits its recorded history at 1967: 25% of all births land in the more recent half, 75% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1924 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1955 peak of 199 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Sheilah popularity over time

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1924–2009

Last recorded 2009
Peak year (1955)
199
Annual births at peak, across 86 years of records
050100150200250 192419421951196019691978198719982009 5

Sheilah by decade

1950s is the heaviest window (884 births, 39% of the file).

1950s was Sheilah's strongest decade.

884 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.

Sheilah births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1950s at 884 births (39% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of August 2026

How Sheilah compares to similarly-sized names

Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Sheilah's total volume

Sheilah vs 15 similarly-sized girls names Scatter plot of 16 data points. 0%2%4%6%8%10%12% 050100150200 New & already peakedOld name, single-era peakNew & still diversifyingLong history, steady all along Years in SSA records % of total births in the single peak year -38, 4.5%-50, 5.4%-49, 6.1%-144, 2.3%-57, 5%-146, 3.3%-96, 5.4%-144, 11%-74, 3.9%-138, 2%-112, 2.1%-42, 7.5%-65, 4.9%-107, 2.4%-142, 2.7%Sheilah-86, 8.7%Sheilah
Sheilah vs 15 similarly-sized girls names

Sheilah by state

Where Sheilah concentrates geographically, total births since 1924

Geographically diffuse
Top 8 states by recorded births for the name Sheilah
Rank State Visual share Births Share of total
#1 New York
97 4.2%
#2 California
75 3.3%
#3 Illinois
58 2.5%
#4 Texas
52 2.3%
#5 Ohio
39 1.7%
#6 Pennsylvania
36 1.6%
#7 Michigan
35 1.5%
#8 Missouri
33 1.4%
New York share of Sheilah's total US births 4.2%
Even split

97 of 2,285 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 22 reporting states.

Sheilah appears in 22 states. Explore state details →

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Sheilah?
2,285 babies have been named Sheilah since 1924. All-time, it sits at #4,307 of 72,339 girls' names by recorded births. It was last recorded in 2009. The peak year was 1955 with 199 births.
Where does Sheilah sit in the SSA name archive?
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sheilah ranks #4,307 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). All-time ordinal matches browse popularity (total births DESC); the current ordinal uses the null SSA file. See /methodology#corpus-placement.
When was Sheilah most popular?
Sheilah was most popular in the 1950s decade with 884 total births. The single peak year was 1955.
Where is Sheilah most popular?
The top states for the name Sheilah are New York (97 births), California (75 births), Illinois (58 births).
How long has the name Sheilah been used?
The SSA has tracked Sheilah since 1924 -- 86 years through the most recent 2009 data.
What names are similar to Sheilah?
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sheila, Sherry, Shelby, Shelly, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for girls.

What to do with Sheilah's data

  • Sheilah's decade-level peak was the 1950s (884 total births); usage has since declined to 25 in the 2000s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • New York records the most Sheilahs (97 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Sheilah

Nearby Names Like Sheilah

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sheilah

Names with a similar number of total births

Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span

Two nationwide peer axes for Sheilah: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.

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, 1924–2009 (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 Sheilah 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.