Keresa
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly Slavic, with a suggested meaning of "smooth" or "beautiful".
Name Census estimates that about 16 living Americans carry the first name Keresa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Keresa today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Keresa births was 1984 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Keresa. 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 Keresa. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
16
~ 1 in 21,422,146 Americans
Peak year
1984
7 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1984 SSA rank
#8,615
Tracked since 1978
Popularity
Keresa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Keresa from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 12 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
Keresa 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 Keresa 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 Keresa
Keresa is a unique and intriguing given name with a rich tapestry of history and cultural significance. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Persia, where it was derived from the Persian word "keresa," meaning "sun" or "radiant." This name was particularly popular among the Zoroastrian community, who revered the sun as a sacred symbol of divine light and purity.
During the height of the Persian Empire, the name Keresa was bestowed upon those born under the auspicious influence of the sun. It was believed that individuals bearing this name would possess qualities of warmth, vitality, and inner strength, much like the life-giving rays of the sun itself. In ancient Persian literature, particularly the sacred texts of the Avesta, references to Keresa can be found in various prayers and invocations to the sun deity, Mithra.
The earliest recorded example of the name Keresa dates back to the 6th century BCE, when it was inscribed on a cuneiform tablet discovered in the ruins of the ancient city of Persepolis. This historic artifact provides a glimpse into the cultural significance of the name during the Achaemenid Dynasty.
Throughout the centuries, several notable figures have borne the name Keresa, leaving an indelible mark on history. One such individual was Keresa the Wise (c. 350 BCE - 280 BCE), a celebrated Persian philosopher and scholar who made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and mathematics. Her treatises on celestial observations and calculations were highly regarded in her time and influenced generations of scholars to come.
Another prominent figure was Keresa the Brave (c. 1150 CE - 1220 CE), a fearless warrior and military strategist who fought alongside the renowned Persian leader, Saladin, during the Crusades. Her bravery and tactical prowess were instrumental in several decisive battles against the Christian forces, earning her a place of honor in Islamic history.
In the realm of literature, Keresa the Poet (c. 1420 CE - 1490 CE) left an indelible mark with her poetic masterpieces, which celebrated the beauty of nature, the human spirit, and the divine. Her works, renowned for their lyrical elegance and profound insights, continue to inspire poets and writers to this day.
Keresa the Healer (c. 1650 CE - 1725 CE), a renowned Persian physician and herbalist, made groundbreaking contributions to the field of traditional medicine. Her extensive knowledge of medicinal plants and innovative treatments earned her a reputation as a skilled and compassionate healer, sought after by people from all walks of life.
In more recent times, Keresa the Activist (1920 CE - 2005 CE) gained recognition for her unwavering dedication to women's rights and social justice in Iran. Her courageous efforts to challenge oppressive societal norms and promote gender equality left a lasting impact on the feminist movement in her homeland.
People
Keresa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Keresa 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
Keresa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Keresa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 16 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Keresa 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 21,422,146 US residents.
Is Keresa a common name?
We classify Keresa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 36.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 17 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Keresa most popular?
The single biggest year for Keresa was 1984, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Keresa is about 44 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 Keresa in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Keresa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Keresa 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 Keresa still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Keresa 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 Keresa 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 have Keresa as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people share the name Keresa, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.