Nisa
A feminine Arabic name meaning "helper" or "friend", derived from the term nisaa meaning "women".
Name Census estimates that about 1,647 living Americans carry the first name Nisa. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nisa today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nisa births was 1991 (97 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nisa. 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
1.6K
~ 1 in 208,108 Americans
Peak year
1991
97 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
2024 SSA rank
#5,092
Tracked since 1953
Popularity
Nisa: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nisa from the 1950s through to the 2020s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 539 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nisa 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 Nisa during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Nisas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. New York, California, Texas recorded the most babies named Nisa, while Maryland, New Jersey, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 51 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Nisa
The name Nisa is believed to have originated from the Sanskrit language, which is one of the oldest Indo-Aryan languages spoken in ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "nisha" or "nisa," which means "night" or "darkness." This name has been in use since ancient times, and its earliest recorded instances can be traced back to Hindu texts and scriptures.
In Hindu mythology, Nisa is considered to be the goddess of night and is often associated with the moon and its mystical qualities. She is believed to be the embodiment of beauty, mystery, and tranquility, and her name is revered by many Hindu devotees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Nisa can be found in the ancient Hindu epic, the Ramayana. In this epic, Nisa is mentioned as the name of a celestial nymph who was renowned for her beauty and grace.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Nisa. One of the most famous was Nisa Gol (1243-1289), a renowned Persian poet and mystic who lived during the Seljuk Empire. Her poetry was widely celebrated for its depth and eloquence, and she was a prominent figure in the literary circles of her time.
Another notable Nisa was Nisa Qazvini (1472-1542), a Persian calligrapher and artist who was renowned for her intricate and beautiful works of art. She was a master of the Nasta'liq script and her works are still admired and studied by calligraphers and art enthusiasts today.
In the Islamic world, the name Nisa has also been in use for centuries. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Nisa Sabri (1858-1946), a Syrian poet and feminist who was a pioneer in advocating for women's rights in the Arab world. Her works were widely celebrated and she played a significant role in shaping the literary landscape of the region.
Another notable figure was Nisa Qassim (1890-1962), an Egyptian feminist and activist who fought for women's suffrage and equal rights in her country. She was a prominent figure in the Egyptian women's movement and her efforts paved the way for greater gender equality in the region.
Lastly, Nisa Majid (1956-2005) was a renowned Pakistani writer and activist who was an outspoken advocate for women's rights and social justice. Her works explored themes of gender, identity, and societal norms, and she was widely celebrated for her courage and unwavering commitment to her cause.
People
Nisa + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nisa 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
Nisa: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nisa?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,647 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nisa 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 208,108 US residents.
Is Nisa a common name?
We classify Nisa as "Rare". It ranks above 92.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,719 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nisa most popular?
The single biggest year for Nisa was 1991, when 97 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nisa is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Nisa a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nisa 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.