Chisa
A Japanese feminine name meaning "thousand kinds of wisdom".
Name Census estimates that about 192 living Americans carry the first name Chisa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Chisa today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Chisa births was 1980 (70 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Chisa. 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
192
~ 1 in 1,785,179 Americans
Peak year
1980
70 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2015 SSA rank
#17,007
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Chisa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Chisa from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 153 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Chisa 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 Chisa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Chisas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Michigan, Illinois, Texas recorded the most babies named Chisa, while New York, Georgia, Florida recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 6 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Chisa
The name Chisa originates from the Chewa language, which is spoken primarily in Malawi and parts of neighboring countries such as Mozambique and Zambia. The Chewa people are an ethnic group with a rich cultural heritage dating back centuries.
In the Chewa language, the name Chisa is believed to have its roots in the word "chisa," which means "light" or "brightness." This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon individuals with a radiant or luminous presence, or perhaps as a way to symbolize the light and warmth that a newborn child brings into the world.
While the exact origin and history of the name Chisa are not well-documented, it is possible that it held significance in ancient Chewa traditions or folklore. Unfortunately, records of its earliest usage are scarce, as many aspects of Chewa culture were passed down through oral traditions rather than written records.
One of the earliest known historical figures to bear the name Chisa was Chisa Mbere, a prominent Chewa chief who ruled in the late 18th century. He was renowned for his leadership and diplomacy, and his reign was marked by a period of relative peace and prosperity for his people.
Another notable individual with the name Chisa was Chisa Mzumara, a 19th-century Malawian writer and poet who played a significant role in preserving and promoting Chewa literature and cultural traditions. Her works provided valuable insights into the Chewa way of life and helped to keep their heritage alive for future generations.
In the 20th century, Chisa Ngosi gained recognition as a talented Malawian musician and composer. Born in 1925, he was celebrated for his contributions to the development of Malawian music, blending traditional Chewa rhythms and melodies with modern influences.
Chisa Kamwendo, born in 1960, is a renowned Malawian academic and linguist who has dedicated her career to the study and preservation of Chichewa, one of the official languages of Malawi. Her research and publications have shed light on the intricacies of the language and its cultural significance.
More recently, Chisa Mbekeani, born in 1985, has made a name for herself as a successful Malawian entrepreneur and advocate for women's empowerment. Through her business ventures and philanthropic efforts, she has aimed to create economic opportunities and promote gender equality in her home country.
While the name Chisa may not be as widely recognized globally as some other names, it holds deep cultural significance and historical roots within the Chewa community of Malawi and the surrounding region. Its connection to the concept of light and brightness has likely contributed to its enduring appeal as a given name over the centuries.
People
Chisa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Chisa 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
Chisa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Chisa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 192 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Chisa 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 1,785,179 US residents.
Is Chisa a common name?
We classify Chisa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 73.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 206 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Chisa most popular?
The single biggest year for Chisa was 1980, when 70 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Chisa is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Chisa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Chisa 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.