Ieshea
A feminine name of Native American origin, meaning "vigorous" or "courageous".
Name Census estimates that about 47 living Americans carry the first name Ieshea. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ieshea today is around 41 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ieshea births was 1991 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ieshea. 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 Ieshea. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
47
~ 1 in 7,292,645 Americans
Peak year
1991
19 babies that year
Average age
41
years old
1992 SSA rank
#9,007
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Ieshea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ieshea from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 28 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
Ieshea 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 Ieshea 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 Ieshea
The name Ieshea is a modern feminine name believed to be of African American origin. It first appeared in the United States in the late 20th century, likely emerging as a variant or creative respelling of more traditional names such as Aisha or Isha.
While the exact etymology of Ieshea is uncertain, it may have roots in Arabic or West African languages. The name could be a combination of the Arabic elements "Iya" (meaning "gift") and "Shea" (a type of butter or oil), potentially signifying a precious or valuable gift. Alternatively, it may be linked to the West African name "Isha," which means "life" or "to live" in the Yoruba language.
There are no known historical references or ancient texts explicitly mentioning the name Ieshea, as it appears to be a relatively modern coinage. However, its potential connections to Arabic and West African names suggest a rich cultural heritage.
The earliest known examples of the name Ieshea likely date back to the 1970s or 1980s in African American communities, though records are scarce. Some notable individuals who have borne this name include:
1. Ieshea King, an American basketball player born in 1982, who played professionally in the WNBA.
2. Ieshea Townsend, an American actress and model born in 1980, best known for her role in the TV series "CSI: Miami."
3. Ieshea Green, an American singer and songwriter born in 1984, who has released several albums in the gospel and contemporary Christian music genres.
4. Ieshea Hartwell, an American reality TV personality born in 1984, who appeared on the show "Love & Hip Hop: Atlanta."
5. Ieshea Freeman, an American businesswoman and entrepreneur born in the late 20th century, who founded a successful skincare and beauty product line.
It is essential to note that the popularity and usage of the name Ieshea may vary across different regions and communities, reflecting the diversity of naming traditions within African American culture.
People
Ieshea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ieshea as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with I
Other first names starting with I with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Ieshea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ieshea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 47 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ieshea 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 7,292,645 US residents.
Is Ieshea a common name?
We classify Ieshea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 50 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ieshea most popular?
The single biggest year for Ieshea was 1991, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ieshea is about 41 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ieshea a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ieshea 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.