Arisha
A feminine name with Arabic origins meaning "lioness" or "throne".
Name Census estimates that about 925 living Americans carry the first name Arisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Arisha today is around 16 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arisha births was 2019 (54 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arisha. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
People living today
925
~ 1 in 370,545 Americans
Peak year
2019
54 babies that year
Average age
16
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,330
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Arisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arisha from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 404 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Arisha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arisha by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Arisha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Arishas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. New York, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Arisha, while Michigan, New Jersey, Virginia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 47 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Arisha
The name Arisha is of Arabic origin and is believed to have originated in the Middle East, particularly in the Arabian Peninsula, during the medieval period. It is derived from the Arabic word "arish," which means "throne" or "canopy." The name is thought to have been bestowed upon individuals with a regal or noble bearing.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arisha can be found in the works of renowned Arab poets and writers from the 8th and 9th centuries. These literary works often featured characters bearing the name, depicting them as individuals of great strength, wisdom, and grace.
In Islamic tradition, the name Arisha is not directly mentioned in religious scriptures or texts. However, it is believed to have gained popularity among Muslim communities due to its Arabic roots and the positive connotations associated with its meaning.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Arisha. One such individual was Arisha al-Qurashi, a renowned poet and scholar who lived in the 10th century AD. Her works were celebrated for their poetic excellence and profound insights into the human condition.
Another notable Arisha was Arisha al-Andalusi, a 12th-century mathematician and astronomer from the Iberian Peninsula. Her contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the development of algebraic equations, were significant and influential.
In the 14th century, Arisha al-Baghdadi was a prominent female physician who practiced in Baghdad, Iraq. She was renowned for her expertise in treating various ailments and was highly respected among her peers.
During the Ottoman Empire, Arisha Khanum was a prominent figure in the 16th century. She was a powerful and influential member of the imperial harem, known for her political acumen and her role in shaping the dynamics of the Ottoman court.
In the realm of literature, Arisha Nayar was a celebrated 17th-century poet from the Indian subcontinent. Her works, written in the Urdu and Persian languages, explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition, earning her widespread acclaim.
These are just a few examples of the numerous individuals throughout history who have borne the name Arisha. While the name has its roots in the Arabic language, it has transcended cultural boundaries and been embraced by diverse communities, each adding their own unique interpretations and significance to its meaning.
People
Arisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arisha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Arisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 925 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arisha going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 370,545 US residents.
Is Arisha a common name?
We classify Arisha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 940 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Arisha was 2019, when 54 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arisha is about 16 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Arisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arisha in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.