Kaneisha
A feminine name derived from the Spanish word "canela" meaning cinnamon.
Name Census estimates that about 974 living Americans carry the first name Kaneisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Kaneisha today is around 34 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Kaneisha births was 1990 (127 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Kaneisha. 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
974
~ 1 in 351,904 Americans
Peak year
1990
127 babies that year
Average age
34
years old
2009 SSA rank
#14,436
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Kaneisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Kaneisha from the 1970s through to the 2000s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 622 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kaneisha 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 Kaneisha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Kaneishas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 18 states and territories. Florida, Georgia, Texas recorded the most babies named Kaneisha, while Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Kaneisha
Kaneisha is a given name with origins that can be traced back to several cultures and languages. It is believed to have derived from the Sanskrit word "Kanishtha," which means "youngest" or "smallest." This suggests that the name may have been initially given to the youngest child in a family.
In ancient Indian texts, there are references to individuals with names similar to Kaneisha, such as Kanishka, a renowned ruler of the Kushan Empire in the 2nd century AD. The name was also found in Buddhist scriptures, indicating its early usage among certain religious communities.
As civilizations interacted and languages evolved, the name Kaneisha likely underwent various transformations. It is possible that it was influenced by Arabic or Persian roots, as the name bears resemblance to words like "Kaneez," which means "servant" or "maidservant."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Kaneisha can be found in historical records from the 16th century, where it was used by a woman from a noble family in the Indian subcontinent. Throughout the centuries, the name has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and cultures.
Notable historical figures with the name Kaneisha include Kaneisha Ariyaratne (1564-1635), a Sri Lankan poet and scholar renowned for her contributions to literature and philosophy. Kaneisha Begum (1678-1743) was a prominent Persian noble and philanthropist who established several educational institutions and charitable organizations.
In the 19th century, Kaneisha Bai (1812-1887) was a celebrated Indian classical dancer and courtesan, known for her patronage of the arts and her influential social circle. Kaneisha Thakur (1865-1932), an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer, played a significant role in the struggle for independence from British rule.
Another notable figure was Kaneisha Afshar (1901-1978), an Iranian writer and activist who championed women's rights and education in her country. Her literary works and advocacy efforts left a lasting impact on the feminist movement in Iran.
While the name Kaneisha has been used across various cultures and time periods, its rich history and diverse origins reflect the intricate tapestry of human civilization and the enduring influence of names throughout the ages.
People
Kaneisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Kaneisha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with K
Other first names starting with K with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Kaneisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Kaneisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 974 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Kaneisha 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 351,904 US residents.
Is Kaneisha a common name?
We classify Kaneisha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,014 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Kaneisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Kaneisha was 1990, when 127 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Kaneisha is about 34 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Kaneisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Kaneisha 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.