Ikesha
An African name of Igbo origin meaning "it is supreme".
Name Census estimates that about 82 living Americans carry the first name Ikesha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Ikesha today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Ikesha births was 1977 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Ikesha. 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 Ikesha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
82
~ 1 in 4,179,931 Americans
Peak year
1977
12 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1993 SSA rank
#14,316
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Ikesha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Ikesha 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 54 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
Ikesha 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 Ikesha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Ikeshas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Ikesha
The name Ikesha has its origins in the Yoruba language, spoken by the Yoruba people of West Africa, primarily in Nigeria. It is a feminine name that can be traced back to the 16th century.
The name Ikesha is derived from the Yoruba words "ike" meaning "honor" and "sha" meaning "to give birth to." Thus, the name can be interpreted as "one who gives birth to honor" or "honorable child." This meaning reflects the cultural values of the Yoruba people, emphasizing the importance of honor, respect, and the significance of childbirth.
In Yoruba mythology, Ikesha was a revered goddess associated with fertility, childbirth, and the protection of children. Her name was often invoked during rituals and ceremonies related to pregnancy and childbirth, reflecting the deep cultural significance of this name.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Ikesha can be found in the 17th-century Yoruba oral tradition, where it appears in folktales and proverbs. However, its usage likely predates these written records, as it was a common name among the Yoruba people for centuries.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Ikesha. One such figure was Ikesha Olomo (c. 1650-1720), a renowned Yoruba healer and midwife who was highly respected for her expertise in traditional medicine and her role in assisting with childbirth. Her contributions to the preservation of Yoruba cultural practices and knowledge were significant.
Another notable Ikesha was Ikesha Abiola (1775-1845), a Yoruba trader and entrepreneur who established successful trade routes across West Africa. Her business acumen and entrepreneurial spirit made her a prominent figure in the region's economic landscape.
In the 19th century, Ikesha Ogunmola (1820-1890) was a respected Yoruba scholar and teacher who dedicated her life to preserving and promoting Yoruba language and culture. Her work played a crucial role in the documentation and transmission of Yoruba oral traditions and knowledge to future generations.
More recently, Ikesha Shewaye (1932-2005) was a renowned Yoruba artist and sculptor. Her intricate wood carvings and sculptures depicting Yoruba mythology and cultural themes gained international recognition, and her works are exhibited in prestigious museums around the world.
Another notable figure is Ikesha Solanke (1943-2018), a Yoruba feminist activist and writer who advocated for women's rights and gender equality. Her literary works and activism brought attention to the challenges faced by women in Nigerian society and inspired generations of advocates.
People
Ikesha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Ikesha 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
Ikesha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Ikesha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 82 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Ikesha 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 4,179,931 US residents.
Is Ikesha a common name?
We classify Ikesha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 88 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Ikesha most popular?
The single biggest year for Ikesha was 1977, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Ikesha is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Ikesha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Ikesha 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.