Elesha
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from Alyssa.
Name Census estimates that about 567 living Americans carry the first name Elesha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Elesha today is around 43 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Elesha births was 1985 (29 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Elesha. 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
567
~ 1 in 604,505 Americans
Peak year
1985
29 babies that year
Average age
43
years old
2007 SSA rank
#18,453
Tracked since 1959
Popularity
Elesha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Elesha from the 1950s through to the 2000s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 212 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
Elesha 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 Elesha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Eleshas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Elesha
The name Elesha is believed to have its origins in West Africa, specifically in the Yoruba language spoken in present-day Nigeria. It is derived from the Yoruba word "Elese," which means "truth" or "honesty." The name is thought to have been in use for centuries among the Yoruba people, who have a rich cultural heritage and a strong tradition of naming practices.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Elesha can be found in the epic poem "Iremoje," which dates back to the 16th century. In this work, Elesha is mentioned as the name of a character known for her unwavering honesty and integrity. This suggests that the name has long been associated with positive traits such as truthfulness and sincerity.
In the 18th century, a notable figure named Elesha Olukosi emerged in the kingdom of Oyo, which was a powerful Yoruba empire at the time. Olukosi was a respected warrior and advisor to the Alaafin (the ruler of Oyo). His name, Elesha, further solidified the name's association with strength, courage, and wisdom.
During the 19th century, the name Elesha gained prominence in the context of the transatlantic slave trade. Some accounts mention enslaved Africans from the Yoruba region who bore the name Elesha, highlighting the name's resilience and survival despite the horrors of slavery.
In the 20th century, the name Elesha was carried on by several notable individuals, including Elesha Gada (1920-1998), a renowned Nigerian sculptor and artist known for his intricate woodcarvings that celebrated Yoruba culture and traditions. Another notable figure was Elesha Sanya (1945-2010), a Nigerian writer and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of African literature and oral traditions.
While not as widely known in other parts of the world, the name Elesha has maintained its cultural significance and connection to its West African roots. Its meaning and historical associations with honesty, strength, and resilience continue to resonate within the Yoruba community and beyond.
People
Elesha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Elesha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with E
Other first names starting with E with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Elesha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Elesha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 567 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Elesha 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 604,505 US residents.
Is Elesha a common name?
We classify Elesha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 612 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Elesha most popular?
The single biggest year for Elesha was 1985, when 29 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Elesha is about 43 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Elesha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Elesha 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.