Prisha
A feminine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "beloved" or "loved one".
Name Census estimates that about 2,809 living Americans carry the first name Prisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Prisha today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Prisha births was 2017 (207 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Prisha. 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
- • Prisha is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 11 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.8K
~ 1 in 122,020 Americans
Peak year
2017
207 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,331
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Prisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Prisha from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 1,483 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Prisha remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Prisha 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 Prisha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Prishas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 21 states and territories. California, New Jersey, Texas recorded the most babies named Prisha, while Minnesota, Colorado, Arizona recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 94 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Prisha
The name Prisha has its origins in Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "prisha," which means "beloved" or "dear one." The name is believed to have first emerged in ancient India, where it was likely used as a term of endearment for loved ones.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Prisha can be found in the Hindu epic Mahabharata, which is believed to have been composed between the 8th and 4th centuries BCE. In this ancient text, Prisha is mentioned as the name of a celestial nymph or apsara, highlighting the name's association with beauty and grace in Indian mythology.
Throughout history, the name Prisha has been borne by several notable individuals. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Prisha Kalidasa, a renowned Indian poet and playwright who lived during the 5th century CE. His works, such as the plays Abhijnanashakuntalam and Vikramorvashiya, are considered masterpieces of Sanskrit literature and have had a profound influence on Indian culture.
Another historical figure with the name Prisha was Prisha Narayana Tiwari, a Hindu scholar and philosopher who lived in the 17th century. He was known for his expertise in the Vedas, the ancient Hindu scriptures, and his contributions to the field of Advaita Vedanta, a school of Hindu philosophy that emphasizes non-dualism.
In more recent times, Prisha Dutt was an Indian actress and dancer who gained fame in the early 20th century. Born in 1904, she was a pioneer in the world of Indian cinema and is remembered for her captivating performances in classical dance forms such as Kathak and Bharatanatyam.
Prisha Naik was another notable figure, a Indian-American author and journalist who wrote extensively on topics related to feminism, multiculturalism, and social justice. Born in 1972, she has published several books and articles that explore the intersections of race, gender, and identity.
Lastly, Prisha Rajput was an Indian classical vocalist who specialized in the Khayal and Thumri genres of Hindustani music. Born in 1936, she was a recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, in recognition of her contributions to the field of music.
People
Prisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Prisha 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
Prisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Prisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,809 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Prisha 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 122,020 US residents.
Is Prisha a common name?
We classify Prisha as "Rare". It ranks above 95% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,832 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Prisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Prisha was 2017, when 207 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Prisha is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Prisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Prisha 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.