Holding steady.
Popularity of Kalesha since 1977
Babies named Kalesha per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 19 |
| 1980s | 93 |
| 1990s | 122 |
| 2000s | 38 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Kalesha is a modern American name that first appeared in Social Security records in 1977, a time when invented names with the '-esha' suffix were gaining popularity, particularly within African-American communities. It reached its peak rank in 1992, though it never cracked the top 1,000 names nationally. Since then, its usage has remained stable but infrequent, with no clear upward or downward trend. The name has not been associated with any specific state or region, and it remains a distinctive choice that reflects the creativity of late 20th-century naming practices.
Kalesha appears to be a modern coinage from the mid-20th century, likely formed by combining the popular prefix 'Ka-' (as in Kaitlyn, Katelyn) with the fashionable '-esha' suffix, which was especially common in African-American naming practices during the 1970s and 1980s. The name may also be influenced by similar-sounding names like Alesha or Tanesha. There is no clear historical or linguistic root before its first recorded use in 1977.
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Kali, Kae, Lesha
Sibling names for Kalesha
Names that share Kalesha's style, for a brother or sister.
