Dekisha
A feminine name of unknown origin with meanings possibly relating to sun or brightness.
Name Census estimates that about 64 living Americans carry the first name Dekisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Dekisha today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Dekisha births was 1975 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Dekisha. 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 Dekisha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
64
~ 1 in 5,355,537 Americans
Peak year
1975
12 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1983 SSA rank
#8,240
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Dekisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Dekisha 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 35 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
Dekisha 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 Dekisha 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 Dekisha
The given name Dekisha is believed to have originated from the Yoruba language, spoken primarily in West Africa, particularly in present-day Nigeria, Togo, and Benin. The Yoruba people have a rich cultural heritage that dates back several centuries.
Dekisha is thought to be a combination of two Yoruba words: "deke" meaning "to be happy or joyful" and "isha" meaning "a source or origin." Therefore, the name Dekisha could be interpreted as "one who brings joy" or "a source of happiness." This name reflects the Yoruba cultural emphasis on joy, positivity, and appreciation for life's blessings.
While the exact origins of the name Dekisha are unclear, it is believed to have been in use among the Yoruba people for several centuries. However, there are no known historical records or ancient texts that specifically mention this name or its variants.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Dekisha can be traced back to the late 18th century, when it was used by a Yoruba woman named Dekisha Oluwole (c. 1770-1840), who was renowned for her skills in traditional weaving and textile design.
Another notable figure bearing the name Dekisha was Dekisha Adeyemi (1825-1890), a Yoruba herbalist and traditional healer who was highly respected in her community for her vast knowledge of medicinal plants and natural remedies.
In the 20th century, Dekisha Ogunleye (1920-2005) was a prominent Yoruba actress and singer who helped popularize traditional Yoruba music and folklore through her performances.
Dekisha Akinwande (1945-2010) was a Nigerian-American author and academic who wrote extensively about African literature and cultural studies, making significant contributions to the field.
More recently, Dekisha Batson (born 1985) is an American singer and songwriter who has gained recognition for her soulful R&B and neo-soul music.
It is worth noting that while the name Dekisha has its roots in the Yoruba culture, it has gained popularity across various regions and cultures, particularly in the United States and other parts of the African diaspora.
People
Dekisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Dekisha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with D
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Dekisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Dekisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 64 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Dekisha 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 5,355,537 US residents.
Is Dekisha a common name?
We classify Dekisha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 70 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Dekisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Dekisha was 1975, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Dekisha is about 48 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 Dekisha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Dekisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Dekisha 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 Dekisha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Dekisha 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 Dekisha 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 named Dekisha?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Dekisha at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.