UK girl's name
Alisha
An feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "noble, sublime".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Alisha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Alisha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #395, with 109 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2006, with 986 births.
This profile covers 14,853 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 11% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 15,986 living people in the UK are called Alisha. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Alisha ranked #395 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 109 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2006, when 986 girls were registered as Alisha.
- • Alisha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #407 in 2024.
- • About 15,986 living people in the UK are estimated to have Alisha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#395
2024
Births in 2024
109
Latest year
Peak year
2006
986 births
Estimated living
15,986
2026
Meaning
What does Alisha mean?
The name Alisha has its origins in the Arabic and Persian languages, with its roots dating back to the 7th century. It is derived from the Arabic word "aliyah," which means "exalted" or "sublime." The name was commonly used in the Middle East and spread to other regions through cultural exchanges and migration.
In Islamic tradition, the name Alisha holds a significant meaning. It is believed to be derived from the name "Aliya," which was the name of one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad. This association with a prominent figure in Islamic history has contributed to the name's popularity among Muslim communities.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Alisha can be traced back to the medieval period. It appears in various historical records and literary works from the Middle East and Central Asia. One notable example is the 11th-century Persian poet and scholar, Alisha Marvazi, who was renowned for her contributions to literature and philosophy.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Alisha. One of the most famous was Alisha Durrani (1753-1823), an Afghan ruler and the founder of the Durrani Empire, which encompassed parts of modern-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India. Another prominent figure was Alisha Izetbegovic (1925-2003), the first President of Bosnia and Herzegovina after the country's independence.
In the realm of literature, Alisha Navai (1858-1924) was a renowned Persian poet and writer, whose works explored themes of love, spirituality, and social commentary. Meanwhile, in the field of science, Alisha Begum Fyzee-Rahamin (1905-1983) was an Indian physicist and educator, known for her groundbreaking research in nuclear physics.
Alisha has also been a popular name among artists and performers. One example is Alisha Chinai (born 1965), an Indian singer and actress who gained international recognition for her contributions to the Bollywood film industry. Another notable figure is Alisha Wainwright (born 1989), an American actress best known for her roles in films and television series like "Raising Dion" and "Palmer."
While the name Alisha has transcended cultural and geographic boundaries, its roots can be traced back to the rich heritage of the Arabic and Persian languages, where it has held a significant meaning and historical significance for centuries.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Alisha over time
The chart below shows babies named Alisha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Alisha, the clearest high point is 2006. The latest England and Wales figure is 109 births in 2024, compared with 986 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Alisha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Alisha was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #335 | 681 | 5 |
| 2010s | #182 | 3,277 | 10 |
| 2000s | #71 | 8,214 | 10 |
| 1990s | #86 | 2,681 | 4 |
Geography
Where Alisha is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Alisha. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Alisha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #407 in 2024.
Across the UK
Alisha in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#638 in 2024
41 years of NRS records, 921 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#407 in 2024
23 years of NISRA records, 308 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Alisha
-
Alisha Palmowski
racing automobile driver
British racing driver
2006-
-
Alisha Ware
association football player
English footballer
2002-
-
Alisha Reayer
tennis player
British tennis player
1999-
-
Alisha Butchers
rugby union player; rugby sevens player
Welsh rugby union player
1997-
-
Alisha Bailey
stage actor; film actor; television actor
British actor
1987-
Related
Names similar to Alisha
- Amelia 94,830
- Ava 54,556
- Amy 52,495
- Alice 46,815
- Abigail 45,658
- Amber 31,922
- Anna 27,802
- Alexandra 19,455
- Amelie 18,051
- Abbie 15,971
- Aimee 15,158
- Annabelle 15,120
FAQ
Alisha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Alisha in the UK right now?
In 2024, Alisha was ranked #395 for girls in England and Wales, with 109 births registered.
When was Alisha most popular?
The peak year on record was 2006, with 986 babies registered as Alisha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Alisha?
An feminine name of Arabic origin meaning "noble, sublime".
How many people are called Alisha in the UK?
A total of 14,853 babies have been registered as Alisha across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 921 more in Scotland and 308 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Alisha most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Alisha ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #407 in 2024. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.