UK girl's name
Kiesha
A feminine name of African American origin meaning "favorite" or "precious.".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2017. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Kiesha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Kiesha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2017 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4763, with 4 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2007, with 17 births.
This profile covers 157 England and Wales registrations across 18 recorded years from 1996 to 2017. The figures come from ONS England and Wales 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 24% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 159 living people in the UK are called Kiesha. 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 2018 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Kiesha ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales in 2017, with 4 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2007, when 17 girls were registered as Kiesha.
- • Kiesha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #439 in 2008.
- • About 159 living people in the UK are estimated to have Kiesha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4763
2017
Births in 2017
4
Latest year
Peak year
2007
17 births
Estimated living
159
2026
Meaning
What does Kiesha mean?
The name Kiesha is a modern variation of the English name Keisha, which is believed to have its origins in the African language of Yoruba. The Yoruba people are an ethnic group found primarily in southwestern Nigeria and parts of Benin and Togo. The name Keisha is thought to be derived from the Yoruba word "Olakiisha," which means "she has arrived with dignity" or "she is highly esteemed."
In the Yoruba culture, names often carry significant meaning and are chosen with great care. The name Keisha reflects the high regard and respect held for the child bearing it. While the exact origin and meaning of the variation "Kiesha" are not entirely clear, it is likely a modern spelling adaptation that emerged in the 20th century.
There are no known historical references to the name Kiesha in ancient texts or religious scriptures. However, the earliest recorded examples of the name Keisha can be traced back to the late 19th century and early 20th century, particularly among African-American communities in the United States.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Keisha was Keisha Caine, an American actress born in 1948 who appeared in several films and television shows in the 1970s and 1980s. Another notable figure was Keisha Lance Bottoms, the former mayor of Atlanta, Georgia, who held office from 2018 to 2022.
Other historical individuals with the name Keisha or its variation Kiesha include Keisha Buchanan, an English singer and former member of the girl group Sugababes, born in 1984; Keisha Castle-Hughes, a New Zealand actress born in 1990 who is best known for her role in the film "Whale Rider"; and Kiesha Nix, an American model and television personality born in 1990.
While the name Kiesha is not as widely used as its original form Keisha, it has gained popularity in recent decades, particularly in the United States and other English-speaking countries. Its unique spelling and connection to the rich cultural heritage of the Yoruba people have contributed to its appeal among parents seeking a name with a distinct meaning and history.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Kiesha over time
The chart below shows babies named Kiesha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2017. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Kiesha, the clearest high point is 2007. The latest England and Wales figure is 4 births in 2017, compared with 17 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Kiesha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Kiesha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4569 | 17 | 4 |
| 2000s | #1911 | 112 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2248 | 28 | 4 |
Geography
Where Kiesha is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Kiesha. 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.
Kiesha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #439 in 2008.
Across the UK
Kiesha in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#439 in 2008
1 years of NISRA records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Kiesha
- Katie 53,185
- Keira 14,411
- Katherine 11,323
- Kayleigh 10,677
- Kate 10,276
- Kelsey 7,224
- Kiera 7,218
- Kayla 6,541
- Kirsty 6,384
- Khadija 5,948
- Kimberley 5,189
- Kaitlyn 5,137
FAQ
Kiesha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Kiesha in the UK right now?
In 2017, Kiesha was ranked #4763 for girls in England and Wales, with 4 births registered.
When was Kiesha most popular?
The peak year on record was 2007, with 17 babies registered as Kiesha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Kiesha?
A feminine name of African American origin meaning "favorite" or "precious.".
How many people are called Kiesha in the UK?
A total of 157 babies have been registered as Kiesha across the 18 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here and 3 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Kiesha most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Kiesha ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #439 in 2008. 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.