Ayesha

Meaning of Ayesha

Ayesha is the kind of name that steps into a room with tinkling bangles and a sun-bright smile, carrying nearly fourteen centuries of history in her dupatta. Born from the Arabic word for “alive” or “she who lives,” it first glowed in the pages of legend as the spirited young wife of the Prophet Muhammad, and from there it wove its way along the spice routes into South Asia, where grandmothers still hum lullabies that rhyme “Ayesha” with “khush-naseeba” (lucky one). Bollywood fans might picture actress Ayesha Takia dancing through monsoon rain, while book lovers nod to H. Rider Haggard’s mysterious queen in “She.” In the United States, Ayesha has been a steady slow-burner—hovering around the 700–800 mark for decades—making her uncommon enough to feel special, yet familiar enough that playground introductions don’t turn into tongue-twisters. Pronounced eye-EE-sha, the name rolls off the tongue like a raga’s opening note: bright, quick, and alive with possibility.