Nyeesha
A feminine name of African American origin with various possible meanings.
Name Census estimates that about 54 living Americans carry the first name Nyeesha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nyeesha today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nyeesha births was 1984 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nyeesha. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Nyeesha with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nyeesha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
54
~ 1 in 6,347,303 Americans
Peak year
1984
7 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
1996 SSA rank
#13,004
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Nyeesha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nyeesha from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 29 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Nyeesha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Nyeesha 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 Nyeesha 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 Nyeesha
The name Nyeesha is believed to have originated from the Swahili language, which is spoken primarily in East Africa. The name is thought to be derived from the Arabic word "nayshiyah," which means "one who is reborn." This suggests that the name may have been given to children who were born after a period of hardship or struggle, symbolizing a new beginning or rebirth.
In its earliest recorded uses, the name Nyeesha was primarily found in coastal regions of Kenya and Tanzania, where Swahili culture and language have been prominent for centuries. The name's roots can be traced back to the spread of Arabic influence in the region, particularly through trade and religious ties.
While the name does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, its Arabic origins suggest a connection to the cultural and linguistic influences that have shaped the region over the centuries.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Nyeesha was Nyeesha bin Ali, a renowned Swahili poet who lived in the 18th century on the island of Lamu, off the coast of Kenya. Her poetic works, which often explored themes of love, spirituality, and the natural world, are considered important contributions to the literary heritage of the Swahili people.
Another noteworthy figure was Nyeesha al-Muhajir, a 19th-century Swahili scholar and teacher who played a significant role in preserving and disseminating traditional Swahili knowledge and culture. Her contributions to education and the preservation of oral traditions were highly regarded in her time.
In the 20th century, Nyeesha Bakari was a prominent Tanzanian activist and politician who fought for women's rights and social justice. Born in 1932, she was a vocal advocate for gender equality and worked tirelessly to empower women in her community and beyond.
Another notable individual was Nyeesha Mwajuma, a Kenyan artist and sculptor who gained recognition in the latter half of the 20th century for her intricate wood carvings and sculptures depicting traditional Swahili life and culture. Her works were widely exhibited and celebrated for their attention to detail and cultural significance.
More recently, Nyeesha Khatib was a renowned Swahili author and playwright who made significant contributions to the literary scene in East Africa. Born in 1945 in Zanzibar, her works explored themes of identity, social issues, and the complexities of modern Swahili society.
While the name Nyeesha has its roots in the ancient cultures of East Africa, it has also gained popularity in other parts of the world, particularly in regions with significant African diaspora communities. However, its rich history and cultural significance remain deeply rooted in the Swahili traditions of the East African coast.
People
Nyeesha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nyeesha 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
Nyeesha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nyeesha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 54 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nyeesha 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 6,347,303 US residents.
Is Nyeesha a common name?
We classify Nyeesha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 55.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 57 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nyeesha most popular?
The single biggest year for Nyeesha was 1984, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nyeesha is about 38 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 Nyeesha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nyeesha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nyeesha 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 Nyeesha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nyeesha 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 Nyeesha 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 the name Nyeesha?
See how many people share the name Nyeesha on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.