UK girl's name
Sheena
A feminine name of Celtic origin meaning "God is gracious".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sheena is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Sheena popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5765, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1996, with 28 births.
This profile covers 212 England and Wales registrations across 21 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 11% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 499 living people in the UK are called Sheena. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sheena ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1996, when 28 girls were registered as Sheena.
- • Sheena ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #611 in 1996.
- • About 499 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sheena as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5765
2017
Births in 2017
3
Latest year
Peak year
1996
28 births
Estimated living
499
2026
Meaning
What does Sheena mean?
The name Sheena originates from the Sanskrit word "Shina," which means "gold" or "prosperity." This name has its roots in ancient Indian culture and can be traced back to the Vedic period (c. 1500-500 BCE). It was initially used as a gender-neutral name but later became more popular for females.
In Hindu mythology, Sheena is associated with the goddess Lakshmi, the embodiment of wealth, fortune, and prosperity. The name was often given to girls with the hope that they would bring abundance and good luck to their families.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sheena can be found in the ancient Indian epic, the Mahabharata (c. 8th-9th century BCE). In this epic, there is a character named Sheena who is described as a wise and virtuous woman.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sheena. One of the most famous was Sheena Easton (born 1959), a Scottish singer-songwriter who achieved international success in the 1980s with hits like "Morning Train" and "For Your Eyes Only."
Another prominent figure was Sheena McDonald (1925-2017), a British actress and dancer known for her roles in films such as "The Cockleshell Heroes" and "The Wicked Lady." She was also a renowned choreographer and worked on several West End productions.
In the literary world, Sheena Wilkinson (born 1965) is an acclaimed Northern Irish author who has written several novels for young adults, including "Grounded" and "Taking Flight."
Sheena Parveen (born 1985) is a prominent Indian weather reporter and meteorologist who has worked for various news channels, including NDTV and CNN-IBN.
Sheena Cholat (1922-2018) was an Indian classical dancer and choreographer who played a significant role in promoting and preserving the traditional dance forms of India, particularly Kathak.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the name Sheena throughout history, each making their mark in various fields and contributing to the cultural richness and diversity associated with this name.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sheena over time
The chart below shows babies named Sheena registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sheena, the clearest high point is 1996. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2017, compared with 28 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sheena by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sheena was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4397 | 35 | 7 |
| 2000s | #2462 | 92 | 10 |
| 1990s | #1039 | 85 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sheena is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sheena. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Sheena ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #611 in 1996.
Across the UK
Sheena in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#611 in 1996
23 years of NRS records, 295 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Sheena
-
Sheena Davis
singer; pianist
British pianist
1968-
-
Sheena Easton
singer; songwriter; television actor; film actor; voice actor
Scottish singer (born 1959)
1959-
-
Sheena McDonald
journalist
British journalist
1954-
-
Sheena Sharp
sport shooter
sport shooter
1953-
-
Sheena Blackhall
writer; poet
Scottish writer
1947-
-
Sheena Wellington
singer
Scottish singer
1944-
-
Sheena Hudson
teacher; researcher; psychotherapist
New Zealand educator, psychotherapist, volunteer, and researcher (1943–2017)
1943-2017
-
Sheena Porter
writer; children's writer; novelist
British children's writer
1935-
Related
Names similar to Sheena
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Sheena: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sheena in the UK right now?
In 2017, Sheena was ranked #5765 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Sheena most popular?
The peak year on record was 1996, with 28 babies registered as Sheena in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sheena?
A feminine name of Celtic origin meaning "God is gracious".
How many people are called Sheena in the UK?
A total of 212 babies have been registered as Sheena across the 21 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 295 more in Scotland.
Where is Sheena most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sheena ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #611 in 1996. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.