Geisha
A Japanese feminine name meaning "artisan who entertains through performing arts".
Name Census estimates that about 148 living Americans carry the first name Geisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Geisha today is around 33 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Geisha births was 2020 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Geisha. 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
148
~ 1 in 2,315,908 Americans
Peak year
2020
20 babies that year
Average age
33
years old
2020 SSA rank
#5,930
Tracked since 1967
Popularity
Geisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Geisha from the 1960s through to the 2020s, spanning 7 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 58 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1970s peak, Geisha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Geisha 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 Geisha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Geishas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Geisha
The given name Geisha is a loanword from Japanese, originating from the Japanese word "geiko" which translates to "person of artistic accomplishments." The name has its roots in the traditional Japanese entertainment profession of the same name, dating back to the early 17th century.
In its early days, the term "geisha" referred to women who were highly trained in traditional Japanese arts, such as classical music, dance, and poetry. These women were often hired to entertain guests at high-class social gatherings, and their skills were highly valued and respected.
While the name Geisha does not have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been closely associated with the rich cultural heritage of Japan and its unique entertainment traditions.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Geisha can be found in the writings of the famous Japanese author and poet, Ihara Saikaku, who lived from 1642 to 1693. In his work, "The Life of an Amorous Woman," he depicts the lives of geisha entertainers during the Edo period.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Geisha, although it was more commonly used as a title or profession rather than a given name. Here are five examples:
1. Okuni (c. 1572 - c. 1644) – Considered the founder of Kabuki theater and one of the earliest known geisha performers.
2. Ichimaru Uzaemon (1611 - 1691) – A renowned geisha and actor in the Kabuki theater during the Edo period.
3. Iwasaki Tomiko (1835 - 1910) – A famous geisha and entrepreneur who founded the prestigious Iwasaki family of Mitsubishi fame.
4. Sadayakko (1872 - 1946) – A celebrated geisha and actress who gained international fame for her performances in the early 20th century.
5. Mineko Iwasaki (born 1949) – A former geisha and author of the memoir "Geisha, a Life," which provided an inside look into the secretive world of geisha culture.
While the name Geisha is deeply rooted in Japanese culture and history, it has also gained recognition and appreciation globally as a symbol of the country's rich artistic traditions and the unique role of geisha entertainers in Japanese society.
People
Geisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Geisha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with G
Other first names starting with G with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Geisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Geisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 148 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Geisha 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 2,315,908 US residents.
Is Geisha a common name?
We classify Geisha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 70.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 157 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Geisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Geisha was 2020, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Geisha is about 33 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Geisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Geisha 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.