Nakisha
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly American or Aboriginal.
Name Census estimates that about 2,290 living Americans carry the first name Nakisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nakisha today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nakisha births was 1978 (203 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nakisha. 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
2.3K
~ 1 in 149,674 Americans
Peak year
1978
203 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
2012 SSA rank
#18,734
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Nakisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nakisha from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 1,074 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
Nakisha 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 Nakisha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nakishas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 25 states and territories. New York, Texas, California recorded the most babies named Nakisha, while Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Kentucky recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 56 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nakisha
The given name Nakisha is believed to have originated from the African language of Swahili. It is a combination of two words, "Nakia" meaning "bright" and "Isha" meaning "life." Therefore, the name Nakisha can be interpreted as "bright life" or "radiant life."
The earliest recorded use of the name Nakisha dates back to the late 20th century, particularly in the United States. It gained popularity among African-American communities during the Black Power movement, as parents sought to give their children names that reflected their cultural heritage and celebrated their African roots.
While the name Nakisha does not have a long documented history, it has been associated with a few notable individuals throughout the years. One of the earliest recorded instances is Nakisha Ford, an American actress born in 1982, who has appeared in various television shows and films.
Another prominent figure with the name Nakisha is Nakisha Lewis, an American professional basketball player born in 1989. She has played for several teams in the WNBA and has represented the United States in international competitions.
Nakisha Wynn, an American singer and songwriter born in 1987, is also known for her contribution to the music industry. She has released several albums and has collaborated with various artists.
Nakisha Chohan, born in 1991, is a British actress of Pakistani descent. She has appeared in various television shows and films, including the critically acclaimed series "Gypsy."
Nakisha Ervin-Knott, born in 1975, is an American politician and community activist. She has served as a member of the Illinois House of Representatives and has been actively involved in various social and political causes.
While these are just a few examples, the name Nakisha continues to be used by parents around the world, particularly those with African or African-American heritage, as a way to celebrate their cultural roots and bestow upon their children a name with a meaningful and empowering connotation.
People
Nakisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nakisha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nakisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nakisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,290 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nakisha 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 149,674 US residents.
Is Nakisha a common name?
We classify Nakisha as "Rare". It ranks above 94.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,459 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nakisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Nakisha was 1978, when 203 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nakisha is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nakisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nakisha 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.