K
Feminine
African American
Meaning & History
Kesha is a variant spelling of the name Keisha, which first appeared in the United States in the 1960s. The name Keisha is most commonly considered an invented name, though it may have been influenced by Keziah, a biblical name meaning "cassia" or "cinnamon" (from the Hebrew qetsiah). Keziah is one of the three daughters of Job in the Old Testament, noted for their beauty and inheritance. Meanwhile, the name Job itself means "persecuted" in Hebrew. Despite these potential root connections, Kesha and Keisha are best understood as modern American coinages.
During the 1970s, Kesha became most widely used among African-American families, often appearing on birth certificates along with other -isha names like Tisha, Latisha, and Aisha. In the 1910s, the name evolved beyond this demographic and gained mainstream attention when the pop singer Kesha Sebert (born 1987), known mononymously as Kesha, rose to fame in the late 2000s with her debut single "Tik Tok." Mistakenly sometimes believed to confirm the name as white-associated, the demographic reality remains that Kesha (and Keisha) have been predominantly given to African-American children for decades.
The name other spelling variants include Keshia, Keysha, and Kisha, all of which appeared contemporaneously. In Italian and Hungarian usage, "Kesha" is unrelated, but as / Spanish, Malayalam languages have ...]
During the 1970s, Kesha became most widely used among African-American families, often appearing on birth certificates along with other -isha names like Tisha, Latisha, and Aisha. In the 1910s, the name evolved beyond this demographic and gained mainstream attention when the pop singer Kesha Sebert (born 1987), known mononymously as Kesha, rose to fame in the late 2000s with her debut single "Tik Tok." Mistakenly sometimes believed to confirm the name as white-associated, the demographic reality remains that Kesha (and Keisha) have been predominantly given to African-American children for decades.
The name other spelling variants include Keshia, Keysha, and Kisha, all of which appeared contemporaneously. In Italian and Hungarian usage, "Kesha" is unrelated, but as / Spanish, Malayalam languages have ...]
Notable Bearers
- Kesha (Kesha Rose Sebert, born 1987), American singer-songwriter and rapper
- Meaning: Variant of Keisha, probably an invented name
- Origin: American
- Type & Usage: Female first name, notably used by African Americans in the 1970s
- High incidence in: United States