Etymology: Derived from 'shiba' (wood, grassland) and 'ta' (rice paddy or field), or alternatively 'shiba' (wood) and 'gata' (shape/form), but most commonly interpreted as 'wooden gate' from 'shiba' (timber) and 'mon' or 'kado' implied in 'ta'. The name likely originated as a locational surname for someone living near a notable wooden gate or boundary.