Sheena

GirlScottish, Irish· “Gaelic form of Jane, "God is gracious"”

Meaning
Gaelic form of Jane, "God is gracious"
Origin
Scottish, Irish
Pronunciation
SHEE-nuh
Syllables
2
US rank 2025
#8,277
US babies 2025
13
Best rank
#80 (1984)
Peak year
1984

Meaning and origin of Sheena

Sheena is a Scottish and Irish name that means “Gaelic form of Jane, "God is gracious"”.

Sheena is an anglicized spelling of Sìne, the Scottish Gaelic form of Jane, which comes from the Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious." The spelling shows English readers how the Gaelic is said. The name became known outside Scotland in the twentieth century, helped by the comic-book heroine Sheena, Queen of the Jungle, and later by the Scottish singer Sheena Easton. It is said SHEE-nuh. Shena and Sheenagh are related spellings. The Irish Sinéad, which came into Irish from the French Jeannette, belongs to the same family.

Other spellings with the same sound: Shena.

Popularity over time

01k2k3k4k1960198020002020Peak 1984: 3,597
US babies named Sheena per year, 1880 to 2025

Sheena first appears in US Social Security records in 1943. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 23 different years, starting in 1956. Its best national rank was #80 in 1984, the same year it reached its highest count of 3,597 babies. In 2025, 13 babies were named Sheena, and it ranked #8,277 nationally. That is 57% fewer than ten years earlier, so it is becoming less common.

Its national rank moved from #1,621 in 1950, #1,014 in 1980, #2,369 in 2000, #5,222 in 2010, and #8,277 in 2025. Of the 22,380 US girls named Sheena since records began, 73% were born in the 1980s, its biggest decade. Since 2010, 319 more have been named Sheena.

Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Joanna, Nichole, Desiree, Stefanie, and Krystle.

Gender, sound and spelling

In the US it is used almost only for girls.

Sheena is usually pronounced SHEE-nuh, with two syllables. It has six letters, starts with S and ends in “-na”. Names that sound the same but are spelled differently include Shena.

Middle names for Sheena

A few middle names that flow with Sheena: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.

Charlotte Girl
SHAHR-luht
“free man” · French
#2
Chloe Girl
KLOH-ee
“young green shoot” · Greek
#23
Grace Girl
GRAYS
“grace” · English
#38
Claire Girl
KLAIR
“clear, bright” · French
#68
Lily Girl
LIH-lee
“lily flower” · English
#18
Violet Girl
VY-uh-liht
“violet flower” · English
#13

Sibling names for Sheena

Similar names

Kenna Girl
KEN-uh
“short for McKenna” · Irish
#759
Seanna Girl
SHAW-nuh
“feminine of Sean, "God is gracious"” · Irish
#5,372
Riana Girl
ree-AN-uh
“possibly short for Briana or Adriana” · American (modern coinage)
#5,199
Shanna Girl
SHA-nuh
“variant of Shannon, or of Shana” · Irish
#12,982
Breanna Girl
bree-AN-uh
“feminine form of Brian” · Irish
#2,548
Brenna Girl
BREH-nuh
Irish
#1,846
Fiona Girl
fee-OH-nuh
“fair, white” · Scottish
#470
Mona Girl
MOH-nuh
“uncertain; several possible sources” · Irish
#2,806
Oona Girl
OO-nuh
“from Irish Úna, possibly lamb or unity” · Irish
#2,768
Dayna Girl
DAY-nuh
“variant of Dana” · English
#6,604
Una Girl
OO-nuh
“lamb (Irish) or one (Latin)” · Irish
#3,245
Nana Unisex
NAH-nuh
“Akan title for elders and rulers” · Akan
#7,045

Lists that include Sheena

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Sheena mean?

Sheena is a Scottish and Irish name that means “Gaelic form of Jane, "God is gracious"”.

What is the origin of the name Sheena?

Sheena has Scottish, Irish, and Hebrew roots. Sheena is an anglicized spelling of Sìne, the Scottish Gaelic form of Jane, which comes from the Hebrew Yochanan, "God is gracious." The spelling shows English readers how the Gaelic is said.

Is Sheena a popular name?

Not especially. Sheena ranked #8,277 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.

Is Sheena a boy or girl name?

Sheena is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.

How do you pronounce Sheena?

Sheena is usually pronounced SHEE-nuh. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.

Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings