Neysa
A feminine name derived from the Persian word neyshakari, meaning bravery or courage.
Name Census estimates that about 996 living Americans carry the first name Neysa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Neysa today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Neysa births was 1971 (34 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Neysa. 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
996
~ 1 in 344,131 Americans
Peak year
1971
34 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
2022 SSA rank
#10,978
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Neysa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Neysa from the 1910s through to the 2020s, spanning 12 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 231 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
Neysa 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 Neysa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Neysas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, New York, Texas recorded the most babies named Neysa, while Texas, New York, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 12 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Neysa
The name Neysa has its roots in the Persian language and culture, originating in ancient times. It is derived from the Persian word "neyshā," which means "sweet" or "pleasant." This name was commonly used in various regions of Persia, known today as Iran.
Neysa has been found in historical records and texts dating back to the 6th century AD, during the Sassanid era of Persia. Some scholars suggest that the name may have been inspired by the Persian goddess of water and fertility, Anahita, who was also associated with sweetness and abundance.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Neysa was a Persian scholar and poet who lived in the 9th century AD. She was known for her contributions to the field of literature and her expertise in the Persian language.
In the 12th century, a prominent Persian philosopher and mystic named Neysa al-Din Razi gained recognition for his works on Islamic philosophy and Sufism. He was born in the city of Rayy, located in modern-day Iran, and his writings influenced subsequent generations of Islamic thinkers.
Another notable figure with the name Neysa was a Persian princess who lived during the Safavid dynasty in the 16th century. She was known for her beauty, intelligence, and patronage of the arts, and her name has been immortalized in various Persian literary works.
In the 19th century, a Persian artist named Neysa Banu gained fame for her intricate miniature paintings, which depicted scenes from Persian mythology and literature. Her works are now housed in various museums and art collections around the world.
The name Neysa has also been found in ancient Persian inscriptions and manuscripts, further attesting to its historical significance and usage throughout the centuries. Its meaning of sweetness and pleasantness has made it a popular choice for parents seeking a name with a positive connotation.
People
Neysa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Neysa 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
Neysa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Neysa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 996 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Neysa 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 344,131 US residents.
Is Neysa a common name?
We classify Neysa as "Very Rare". It ranks above 90.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,288 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Neysa most popular?
The single biggest year for Neysa was 1971, when 34 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Neysa is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Neysa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Neysa 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.