UK girl's name
Meisha
An invented feminine name of uncertain meaning or origin.
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Meisha is a girl's name in the UK records. People looking for Meisha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #5493, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2008, with 28 births.
This profile covers 171 England and Wales registrations across 23 recorded years from 1996 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, 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 173 living people in the UK are called Meisha. 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 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Meisha ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2008, when 28 girls were registered as Meisha.
- • Meisha ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #802 in 2010.
- • About 173 living people in the UK are estimated to have Meisha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#5493
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2008
28 births
Estimated living
173
2026
Meaning
What does Meisha mean?
The name Meisha is believed to have originated from the Arabic language, with its roots tracing back to ancient Middle Eastern cultures. The name is derived from the Arabic word "Mish," which means "air" or "breeze," symbolizing a gentle and refreshing presence.
In the historical context, the name Meisha gained prominence during the Islamic Golden Age, a period of cultural, economic, and scientific flourishing in the Middle East and North Africa between the 8th and 13th centuries. This era witnessed the rise of influential scholars, poets, and philosophers who may have borne this name or contributed to its spread through their literary works.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Meisha can be found in the writings of the renowned Persian poet and philosopher, Rumi (1207-1273 CE). Rumi's poetry often celebrated the beauty of nature and the human soul, making the name Meisha, with its connection to air and breeze, a fitting choice for a character or subject in his works.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Meisha. One such individual was Meisha al-Kalbi (8th century CE), a renowned Arab genealogist and scholar who made significant contributions to the study of Arabic tribes and their lineages. Her work, "Jamharat al-Nasab," remains an important reference for historians and researchers exploring the genealogies of ancient Arabian societies.
Another prominent figure was Meisha al-Merwazi (9th century CE), a celebrated female mathematician and astronomer from the Abbasid Caliphate. She is credited with developing innovative methods for calculating the positions of celestial bodies and contributing to the advancement of astronomical knowledge during the Islamic Golden Age.
In the realm of literature, Meisha Merali (born 1981) is a contemporary British author and journalist of Pakistani descent. Her critically acclaimed novel, "The Last Nomad," explores themes of cultural identity, displacement, and the human experience, resonating with readers across the globe.
Meisha Cammet (born 1978) is an American actress and producer known for her roles in television series such as "NCIS," "Bones," and "The Mentalist." Her diverse acting career has spanned over two decades, showcasing her talent and versatility on both the small and big screens.
As this name has traversed across cultures and eras, its essence and meaning have remained rooted in the concepts of gentleness, refreshment, and natural beauty, making it a timeless and captivating choice for parents seeking a name with depth and cultural richness.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Meisha over time
The chart below shows babies named Meisha registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Meisha, the clearest high point is 2008. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 28 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Meisha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Meisha 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 | #5493 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4151 | 45 | 8 |
| 2000s | #2614 | 95 | 10 |
| 1990s | #2490 | 28 | 4 |
Geography
Where Meisha is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Meisha. 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.
Meisha ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #802 in 2010.
Across the UK
Meisha in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#802 in 2010
1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered
Related
Names similar to Meisha
- Megan 70,884
- Mia 67,204
- Molly 47,734
- Millie 44,390
- Maisie 32,671
- Matilda 29,965
- Maya 26,445
- Madison 18,441
- Maria 17,304
- Mollie 15,914
- Martha 15,116
- Maddison 14,918
FAQ
Meisha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Meisha in the UK right now?
In 2020, Meisha was ranked #5493 for girls in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Meisha most popular?
The peak year on record was 2008, with 28 babies registered as Meisha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Meisha?
An invented feminine name of uncertain meaning or origin.
How many people are called Meisha in the UK?
A total of 171 babies have been registered as Meisha across the 23 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.
Where is Meisha most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Meisha ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #802 in 2010. 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.