Keneesha
Feminine name of African origin meaning "born during challenging times".
Name Census estimates that about 35 living Americans carry the first name Keneesha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Keneesha today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keneesha births was 1990 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keneesha. 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 Keneesha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
35
~ 1 in 9,792,981 Americans
Peak year
1990
7 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1996 SSA rank
#14,624
Tracked since 1977
Popularity
Keneesha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keneesha from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 32 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
Keneesha 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 Keneesha 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 Keneesha
The name Keneesha is a modern variation of the traditional African name Kanesha, which has its origins in the Swahili language. Swahili is a Bantu language spoken primarily in East Africa, particularly in countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.
The name Kanesha is derived from the Swahili word "anisha," which means "to make beautiful" or "to adorn." It is believed that the name was originally given to girls as a wish for them to grow up to be beautiful, both inside and out.
While the exact origin of the name Keneesha is unclear, it is likely that it emerged as a variation of Kanesha, with the addition of the "ee" sound, which is common in many African names. This variation may have occurred as the name spread across different regions and cultures, with each group putting their own spin on the pronunciation and spelling.
In terms of historical references, the name Kanesha and its variations do not appear to have been documented in ancient texts or religious scriptures. However, it is possible that the name was used in oral traditions or within specific communities that did not leave written records.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Keneesha can be found in the United States, where it began to gain popularity in the late 20th century, particularly among African American families. This coincided with a growing interest in embracing and celebrating African cultural heritage and naming traditions.
Here are five notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Keneesha:
1. Keneesha Gaddis (born in 1978) - An American former professional basketball player who played in the WNBA.
2. Keneesha Pryka (born in 1985) - A Jamaican track and field athlete specializing in the 400 meters.
3. Keneesha Granger (born in 1990) - An American model and beauty queen who won the Miss Kentucky USA 2014 title.
4. Keneesha Hawkins (born in 1992) - An American singer and songwriter known for her work in the R&B and pop genres.
5. Keneesha Lewis (born in 1986) - A British actress and writer who has appeared in various television shows and films.
While the name Keneesha is relatively new in the grand scheme of human history, it carries with it the rich cultural heritage of the Swahili language and the African continent. Its meaning, "to make beautiful," serves as a reminder of the value placed on inner and outer beauty within many African traditions.
People
Keneesha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keneesha 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
Keneesha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keneesha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 35 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keneesha 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 9,792,981 US residents.
Is Keneesha a common name?
We classify Keneesha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 48.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 37 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keneesha most popular?
The single biggest year for Keneesha was 1990, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keneesha is about 36 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Keneesha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keneesha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keneesha 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.
Is Keneesha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keneesha in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Keneesha can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Keneesha?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.