Ikeisha
A feminine name likely derived from the West African Yoruba language meaning "blessing".
Name Census estimates that about 65 living Americans carry the first name Ikeisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ikeisha today is around 42 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ikeisha births was 1980 (13 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ikeisha. 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 Ikeisha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
65
~ 1 in 5,273,144 Americans
Peak year
1980
13 babies that year
Average age
42
years old
1991 SSA rank
#12,055
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Ikeisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ikeisha from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 46 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
Ikeisha 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 Ikeisha 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 Ikeisha
The name Ikeisha has its origins in the Yoruba language, spoken by the Yoruba people of West Africa, primarily in present-day Nigeria. It is believed to have emerged as a name during the 16th or 17th century in the region. The name Ikeisha is derived from the Yoruba words "ike," meaning "honor" or "dignity," and "isha," meaning "work" or "labor." Thus, the name Ikeisha can be interpreted to mean "honorable work" or "dignified labor."
While the name's precise origins are uncertain, it is thought to have been bestowed upon individuals who were highly respected for their hard work, dedication, and honorable conduct. In the Yoruba culture, names often carried deep symbolic significance and were carefully chosen to reflect the values and aspirations held for the child.
Historical records of the name Ikeisha are scarce, as written documentation from the region during that time period was limited. However, the name's ties to the Yoruba culture and language suggest that it may have been used among the Yoruba communities in what is now southwestern Nigeria.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Ikeisha was a Nigerian woman named Ikeisha Adebayo, who lived in the late 18th century and was known for her exceptional skills as a weaver and her contributions to the local textile industry. Another notable figure was Ikeisha Ogunleye, a respected elder and storyteller who lived in the early 19th century and was renowned for her wisdom and knowledge of Yoruba oral traditions.
In the 20th century, the name gained broader recognition and usage. Ikeisha Balogun was a Nigerian activist and educator who worked tirelessly to promote literacy and educational opportunities for women in the 1960s and 1970s. Ikeisha Soyinka, born in 1935, is a renowned Nigerian playwright, poet, and Nobel Laureate, celebrated for her contributions to literature and her advocacy for human rights.
Another prominent individual with the name Ikeisha is Ikeisha Babangida, a Nigerian businesswoman and philanthropist born in 1960, who has been instrumental in supporting various charitable initiatives and empowering women entrepreneurs in her country.
While the name Ikeisha has its roots in the Yoruba culture, it has transcended its origins and gained popularity across different regions and cultures, particularly in parts of Africa and the African diaspora. The name continues to carry the essence of its meaning, representing honor, dignity, and a strong work ethic.
People
Ikeisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ikeisha 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
Ikeisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ikeisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 65 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ikeisha 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 5,273,144 US residents.
Is Ikeisha a common name?
We classify Ikeisha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 69 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ikeisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Ikeisha was 1980, when 13 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ikeisha is about 42 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ikeisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ikeisha 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.