Doneshia
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly from African roots.
Name Census estimates that about 192 living Americans carry the first name Doneshia. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Doneshia today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Doneshia births was 1987 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Doneshia. 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
1987
13 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
2003 SSA rank
#16,472
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Doneshia: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Doneshia from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 101 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
Doneshia 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 Doneshia 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 Doneshia
The name Doneshia is a relatively modern invention, likely originating in the United States during the late 20th century. It does not appear to have direct roots in any particular language or culture, but rather seems to be a creative combination of sounds and syllables that were deemed appealing by parents.
While the name itself is new, some of its components may be inspired by existing names or words. For instance, the first part, "Done," could be a nod to the English word "done," implying a sense of completion or accomplishment. The latter part, "shia," may be a variation of the Hebrew name "Shia," which means "gift."
There are no known historical references or ancient texts mentioning the name Doneshia, as it is a relatively modern coinage. However, a few notable individuals have borne this name throughout recent history.
One of the earliest recorded examples is Doneshia Renee Harris, an American actress and singer born in 1986. She is known for her roles in television shows and films such as "The Parkers" and "Coach Carter."
Another individual with this name is Doneshia Yvette Ames, an American model and reality television personality. She gained recognition for her appearances on the show "America's Next Top Model" in the early 2000s.
In the realm of sports, Doneshia Proctor is a former professional basketball player who competed in the WNBA for teams like the Los Angeles Sparks and the Phoenix Mercury in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Doneshia Ayana Johnson is an American singer and songwriter who has released several albums since the early 2010s, showcasing her talents in the R&B and neo-soul genres.
Lastly, Doneshia Lachelle Norwood is an American entrepreneur and business executive who has held leadership positions in various companies, particularly in the technology and telecommunications sectors, since the late 20th century.
While these individuals have helped establish the name Doneshia in recent decades, its origins and meaning remain somewhat enigmatic, reflecting the creative and unconventional nature of its coinage.
People
Doneshia + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Doneshia 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
Doneshia: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Doneshia?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 192 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Doneshia 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 Doneshia a common name?
We classify Doneshia 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, 201 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Doneshia most popular?
The single biggest year for Doneshia was 1987, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Doneshia is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Doneshia a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Doneshia 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.