Meaning & History
Tisha is a feminine given name used primarily in English and African American communities. It functions as a short form of Letitia or the coinage Latisha. Letitia derives from the Late Latin word laetitia, meaning "joy" or "happiness." The name was also influenced by saint Laetitia, an obscure figure venerated in Spain, and it appeared in medieval England as Lettice. A revival in the 18th century helped spread its variants, including Tisha.
Tisha also has a distinct origin as the Hebrew word for the number nine (tishah), most famously associated with the Jewish fast day Tisha B'Av, which commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples. Despite this Hebrew meaning, the name Tisha is not typically used in Jewish contexts as a personal name; its primary usage in English comes from the Letitia truncation.
Notable Bearers
Numerous individuals bear the given name Tisha. Tisha Campbell-Martin (born 1968) is an acclaimed American actress and singer, best known for her roles in the sitcom Martin and the film School Daze. Tisha Sterling (born 1944) is an American actress noted for her appearances in 1960s and 1970s television. Other bearers include Tisha Abundo (born 1949), a Philippine sports commissioner, and Tisha Terrasini Banker (born 1973), an American actress. The Bangladeshi actress Nusrat Imrose Tisha uses Tisha as a mononym. In the music world, the OutKast song "Toilet Tisha" from the album Stankonia references the name.
Related Forms
Variants of Tisha include the English Titty (which later became Lecia in some traditions) and cross-cultural forms such as French Laëtitia, Portuguese Letícia, Italian Letizia, and Latvian Letīcija. The related name Trisha is another diminutive of Letitia, while Tish serves as an additional short form.
- Meaning: "Joy, happiness"; also Hebrew "nine"
- Origin: English diminutive of Letitia; coincidental Hebrew word
- Type: Given name
- Primary usage regions: English-speaking world, African American communities, briefly in Russia as a transliteration of Tikhon
Related Names
Sources: Wikipedia — Tisha