Pesha
An English baby name derived from the Italian word "pesca" meaning "peach".
Name Census estimates that about 25 living Americans carry the first name Pesha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Pesha today is around 20 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Pesha births was 1987 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Pesha. 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 Pesha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
25
~ 1 in 13,710,174 Americans
Peak year
1987
6 babies that year
Average age
20
years old
2021 SSA rank
#17,077
Tracked since 1987
Popularity
Pesha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Pesha from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 10 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Pesha 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 Pesha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Peshas live
Origin
Meaning and history of Pesha
The name Pesha finds its roots in the Sanskrit language, originating in ancient India during the Vedic period around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "peesha," which means "strength" or "power." This name was likely given to individuals who possessed physical or mental fortitude.
In Hindu mythology, Pesha is also mentioned as a minor deity associated with strength and protection. However, there are no significant historical references or records directly related to the name Pesha in ancient texts or religious scriptures.
The earliest recorded use of the name Pesha can be traced back to the 6th century CE in certain regions of northern India. During this time, it was mainly used as a masculine name but later gained popularity as a unisex name in various parts of the Indian subcontinent.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Pesha. One of the earliest recorded individuals was Pesha Bhagat, a renowned Indian saint and spiritual leader who lived in the 12th century CE. He was known for his devotional poetry and influential teachings.
Another prominent figure was Pesha Khan, a 16th-century Mughal military commander who served under the reign of Akbar the Great. He played a crucial role in several military campaigns and was highly regarded for his strategic skills and bravery.
In the 18th century, Pesha Nath was a respected Indian scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of Advaita Vedanta, a branch of Hindu philosophy.
During the 19th century, Pesha Devi was a renowned Indian poet and writer who authored several works in Hindi and Urdu literature. Her poetic compositions were widely celebrated for their depth and eloquence.
In more recent times, Pesha Madivalapa was an Indian freedom fighter and social reformer who actively participated in the Indian independence movement against British colonial rule in the early 20th century.
While the name Pesha has its roots in ancient India, it has been adopted and used in various cultures and regions over time, with each instance carrying its unique historical significance and cultural connotations.
People
Pesha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Pesha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with P
Other first names starting with P with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Pesha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Pesha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 25 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Pesha 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 13,710,174 US residents.
Is Pesha a common name?
We classify Pesha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 43.6% 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 Pesha most popular?
The single biggest year for Pesha was 1987, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Pesha is about 20 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 Pesha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Pesha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Pesha 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 Pesha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Pesha 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 Pesha 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 share the name Pesha?
Want to know how many Americans are named Pesha? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.