Khisha
An Indian feminine name possibly derived from Sanskrit meaning "one with lovely locks."
Name Census estimates that about 24 living Americans carry the first name Khisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Khisha today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Khisha births was 1977 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Khisha. 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 Khisha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
24
~ 1 in 14,281,431 Americans
Peak year
1977
8 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
1980 SSA rank
#9,662
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Khisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Khisha from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 20 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Khisha 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 Khisha 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 Khisha
The name Khisha is believed to have its origins in the Sanskrit language, which is an ancient Indo-Aryan language that originated in the Indian subcontinent. The name is thought to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Khish," which means "ray of light" or "beam of radiance." This linguistic connection suggests that the name Khisha may have been used in ancient India, possibly during the Vedic period, which spanned from around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Khisha can be found in the Mahabharata, a revered Hindu epic that is considered one of the most significant works in Sanskrit literature. In the Mahabharata, Khisha is mentioned as the name of a minor character, a prince from the Kuru dynasty. This reference provides historical evidence that the name was in use during the time when the epic was composed, which is believed to be between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Khisha. One such figure was Khisha Devi (1507-1600), a renowned Hindu mystic and spiritual leader from the Braj region of northern India. She was known for her devotional poetry and her profound spiritual teachings, which influenced the Bhakti movement in Hinduism.
Another notable Khisha was Khisha Khan (1639-1705), a prominent military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in the 17th century. He was appointed as the governor of several provinces and played a significant role in the expansion and consolidation of the Mughal Empire during his time.
In the realm of literature, Khisha Rani (1828-1884) was a celebrated Urdu poet from the Indian subcontinent. Her poetry, which often explored themes of love, spirituality, and social issues, earned her widespread acclaim and recognition during her lifetime.
The name Khisha also appears in Buddhist texts and traditions. Khisha Gautami (born around the 6th century BCE) was a renowned female disciple of the Buddha. She is remembered for her unwavering determination and her instrumental role in establishing the Buddhist order of nuns, known as the Bhikkhuni Sangha.
Another individual of historical significance who bore the name Khisha was Khisha Chandra Sen (1838-1884), a prominent Indian educator and social reformer. He was a pioneer in the field of women's education and played a crucial role in establishing several educational institutions in Bengal during the 19th century.
These examples demonstrate that the name Khisha has been in use for centuries, spanning various cultures, religions, and regions within the Indian subcontinent. While its precise origins may be shrouded in antiquity, the name's association with concepts such as radiance, light, and spirituality has endured throughout its long and rich history.
People
Khisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Khisha 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
Khisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Khisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 24 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Khisha 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 14,281,431 US residents.
Is Khisha a common name?
We classify Khisha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 43% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 26 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Khisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Khisha was 1977, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Khisha is about 49 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 Khisha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Khisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Khisha 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 Khisha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Khisha 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 Khisha 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 common is the name Khisha?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.