Ilesha
Ilesa is a historic city located in Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of the capital of a historic state-kingdom centred around that town as the capital. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of His Imperial Majesty, the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland. The city of Ilesa consists of Ilesa itself and a number of surrounding cities.
Meaning & Origin of Ilesha
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ilesa is a historic city located in Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of the capital of a historic state-kingdom centred around that town as the capital. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of His Imperial Majesty, the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland. The city of Ilesa consists of Ilesa itself and a number of surrounding cities.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ilesha
Ilesha first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1991, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 7 Ileshas were born — ranking #10,588 that year. As of 2026, Ilesha ranks #13,429 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 17 Ileshas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Ilesha
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Pa. Israel Olatunde Adedeji-Orolugbagbe, JP - [B.A (Hons) London] Erudite Scholar, Historian {Odole Nikunogbo Descendant}.
- Royal High Chief Adebola Oyeleye Adedeji-Orolugbagbe, Odole-Owa IjesaLand Oyegbulu I {Odole Nikunogbo Descendant}.
- Royal High Chief Adefioye Adedeji - Attorney and Banker - Risawe Opitan of Ilesa.{Owa-Obokun Atakunmosa Descendant).
- T. M. Aluko OBE OON
- Akinloye Akinyemi : Nigerian major
- Samuel Olatunde Fadahunsi : Commander of the Order of Niger, CON and President of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN)
- Kayode Eso : Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria (an Odole Gidigbi Faloju descendant)
- Bolaji Akinyemi : Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs and a professor of political science
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Ilesha
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ilesha is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ilesha
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About the name Ilesha
Ilesha is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1991 and has accumulated 17 births in the dataset. Ilesha's peak popularity came in 1993 when it ranked #10,588. Use the chart and map above to compare Ilesha's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1993 →
- Names of the 1990s →
- Names starting with "I" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.