Arkesha
A feminine name of unknown origin, potentially a variant of Akesha.
Name Census estimates that about 24 living Americans carry the first name Arkesha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Arkesha today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arkesha births was 1984 (10 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arkesha. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Arkesha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
24
~ 1 in 14,281,431 Americans
Peak year
1984
10 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1989 SSA rank
#12,519
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Arkesha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arkesha from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 15 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arkesha 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 Arkesha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Arkesha
The name Arkesha is believed to have its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language from the Indian subcontinent. It is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Arkesh," which means "the sun" or "the sun god." The name is associated with strength, radiance, and divine power.
In ancient Hindu mythology, the sun was revered as a powerful and life-giving force, often personified as the deity Surya. The name Arkesha may have been bestowed upon individuals to honor this celestial entity and invoke its blessings. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to ancient Sanskrit texts and inscriptions from the 3rd century BCE.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Arkesha was a celebrated poet and scholar from the Gupta Empire in ancient India, who lived during the 4th century CE. His poetic works, which explored themes of love, nature, and spirituality, were widely acclaimed and influential in his time.
In the 8th century, there was a renowned Buddhist monk named Arkesha who traveled extensively throughout Asia, spreading the teachings of Buddhism. He is credited with establishing several monasteries and contributing to the growth of the religion in various regions.
During the medieval period, an Arkesha was a notable warrior and military commander who served under the Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan in the 12th century. He is said to have played a crucial role in several battles against invading forces, earning a reputation for his bravery and strategic skills.
In the realm of art and culture, an Arkesha was a celebrated classical dancer and choreographer from the 16th century in the Vijayanagar Empire. She is renowned for her contributions to the Kuchipudi dance form and her innovative choreographic works that blended traditional Indian dance with contemporary elements.
Another notable figure with the name Arkesha was a pioneering astronomer and mathematician from the 17th century in the Mughal Empire. His groundbreaking work in astronomy and celestial calculations helped advance the field and paved the way for future discoveries.
While the name Arkesha has its roots in ancient Sanskrit and Hindu traditions, it has transcended cultural boundaries and has been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds, drawn to its unique sound and symbolic meaning.
People
Arkesha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arkesha 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
Arkesha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arkesha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 24 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arkesha 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 14,281,431 US residents.
Is Arkesha a common name?
We classify Arkesha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 43% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 26 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arkesha most popular?
The single biggest year for Arkesha was 1984, when 10 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arkesha is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Arkesha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arkesha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arkesha 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.
Is Arkesha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arkesha in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Arkesha can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Arkesha?
Find out how many Americans are named Arkesha on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.