SHEILA BROWN

Anglicized spelling of Síle, the Irish Gaelic form of Cecily. This name has become so common and widespread that it is hardly felt to be Irish any longer. In Australia since the 19th century it has been a slang generic term for any woman.

English, Scottish, and Irish: generally a nickname referring to the color of the hair or complexion, Middle English br(o)un, from Old English brūn or Old French brun. This word is occasionally found in Old English and Old Norse as a personal name or byname. Brun- was also a Germanic name-forming element. Some instances of Old English Brūn as a personal name may therefore be short forms of compound names such as Brūngar, Brūnwine, etc. As a Scottish and Irish name, it sometimes represents a translation of Gaelic Donn. As an American family name, it has absorbed numerous surnames from other languages with the same meaning.