A 1970s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Maisha since 1968
Babies named Maisha per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1960s | 23 |
| 1970s | 738 |
| 1980s | 365 |
| 1990s | 283 |
| 2000s | 230 |
| 2010s | 157 |
| 2020s | 122 |
Meaning & origin
Maisha is a Swahili name meaning "life," first recorded in the U.S. in 1968. It experienced its peak popularity in 1977, likely reflecting a broader interest in African heritage names during that era. After declining for decades, the name has been rising again since 2013, with a rank of 7,885 in 2025. Maisha remains rare, given to approximately 1 in 123,636 girls that year, making it a distinctive choice with a meaningful origin.
Maisha is a Swahili word meaning "life." It has been used as a given name in East Africa and among African diaspora communities. The name gained some popularity in the United States in the 1970s, possibly influenced by the Black Pride movement and interest in African names.
“Maisha” around the world
Where Maisha lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
10
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Mai, Isha
Sibling names for Maisha
Names that share Maisha's style, for a brother or sister.
