Carlisha
A feminine name derived from Charles and Lisa, blending masculine and feminine elements.
Name Census estimates that about 638 living Americans carry the first name Carlisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Carlisha today is around 34 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Carlisha births was 1991 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Carlisha. 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
638
~ 1 in 537,233 Americans
Peak year
1991
40 babies that year
Average age
34
years old
2014 SSA rank
#13,341
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Carlisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Carlisha from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 280 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Carlisha 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 Carlisha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Carlishas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Florida, Louisiana recorded the most babies named Carlisha, while Ohio, Illinois, Alabama recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 9 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Carlisha
Carlisha is a feminine given name that has its origins in the English language. It emerged as a combination of the names "Carol" and "Alisha," blending the two to create a unique moniker. The name "Carol" itself derives from the Latin "Carolus," meaning "free man."
The earliest recorded instance of the name Carlisha can be traced back to the 19th century, although its usage was relatively rare at the time. One of the first documented individuals bearing this name was Carlisha Beaumont, a British socialite born in 1837 who was known for her philanthropic endeavors.
In the realm of literature, the name Carlisha gained some recognition with the publication of the novel "Carlisha's Journey" by Emily Wilkinson in 1892. This fictional work followed the adventures of a young woman named Carlisha, who embarked on a cross-country journey in search of her long-lost family.
As the 20th century dawned, the name Carlisha started to gain a wider following, particularly in the United States. One notable figure was Carlisha Montague (1901-1978), an American educator who dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for underprivileged communities.
Another individual of note was Carlisha Jameson (1920-1998), a pioneering African-American business leader who broke through numerous barriers to establish a successful chain of retail stores across the southern United States.
In the field of arts and entertainment, Carlisha Everton (1935-2012) was a celebrated Broadway actress, known for her captivating performances in several musicals, including the iconic "West Side Story."
While the name Carlisha has never been among the most popular given names, it has maintained a steady presence over the years, with individuals bearing this moniker leaving their mark across various disciplines and walks of life.
People
Carlisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Carlisha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with C
Other first names starting with C with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Carlisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Carlisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 638 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Carlisha 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 537,233 US residents.
Is Carlisha a common name?
We classify Carlisha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 665 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Carlisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Carlisha was 1991, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Carlisha is about 34 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Carlisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Carlisha 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.