Keisha

Meaning of Keisha

Keisha, pronounced KEE-shuh, originated in late-20th-century Anglo-American usage as a streamlined offshoot of Lakeisha—an inventive form that combines the biblical Keziah (“cassia tree” in Hebrew) with phonetic motifs prevalent in African-American naming and, at times, parallels the Arabic Aisha (“life”). Introduced to a broad audience during the cultural dynamism of the 1970s and 1980s, the name climbed to roughly the mid-300s in national U.S. rankings by 1988 before entering a gradual decline that situates it today in the upper-800s, a statistical profile characteristic of fashion-sensitive names that crest and recede over one or two generations. Its presence among R&B vocalists, gospel artists, and contemporary film characters confers subtle artistic associations, while its crisp two-syllable structure and emphatic initial consonant impart a modern, efficient cadence that appeals to parents who wish to acknowledge African-diasporic heritage within an easily articulated English form. Current birth data indicate that Keisha has settled into a zone of selective use—recognizable yet uncommon, offering individuality without unfamiliarity.