April 17, 2004
SHEILA f Irish, English
Pronounced: SHEE-la
Anglicized form of SÍLE
SÍLE f Irish
Pronounced: SHEE-la
Irish form of CECILIA
CECILIA f English, Italian, Spanish, Scandinavian
Pronounced: se-SEE-lee-a, se-SEEL-ya
Latinate feminine form of the Roman family name Caecilius, which was derived from Latin caecus "blind". According to legend, Saint Cecilia was a 3rd-century martyr who was sentenced to die because she refused to worship the Roman gods. After attempts to suffocate her failed, she had her head chopped off. She is the patron saint of music and musicians.