Girl · #5,314 in 2026

Mesa

A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge, or hill, bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and standing distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks, such as shales, capped by a resistant layer of harder rock, like sandstone or limestone, forming a caprock that protects the flat summit.

Current Rank
#5,314
Peak Rank
#3,367 (2013)
Total Babies
859
5-Yr Trend
-11%
1972
First Year
2026
Last Year
2013
Peak Year
#3367
Peak Rank
859
Total Count
44
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Mesa

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge, or hill, bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and standing distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks, such as shales, capped by a resistant layer of harder rock, like sandstone or limestone, forming a caprock that protects the flat summit.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Mesa

Mesa first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1972, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2013, when 47 Mesas were born — ranking #3,367 that year. As of 2026, Mesa ranks #5,314 for baby girls with 24 births, gradually falling (-11%). In total, more than 859 Mesas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

ME
WA
MT
ND
MN
WI
MI
NY
VT
NH
MA
OR
ID
SD
IA
IL
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
NV
WY
NE
MO
KY
WV
VA
MD
DE
DC
UT
CO
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
AK
AZ
NM
OK
LA
MS
AL
GA
HI
TX
FL
Top 10
11-50
51-100
101-500
500+
No data

Names that sound like Mesa

Phonetically similar names — useful when Mesa 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 Mesa

What does the name Mesa mean?
A mesa is an isolated, flat-topped elevation, ridge, or hill, bounded from all sides by steep escarpments and standing distinctly above a surrounding plain. Mesas consist of flat-lying soft sedimentary rocks, such as shales, capped by a resistant layer of harder rock, like sandstone or limestone, forming a caprock that protects the flat summit.
How popular is Mesa in 2026?
In 2026, Mesa ranks #5,314 among girls' names in the U.S., with 24 babies given the name that year.
When was Mesa most popular?
Mesa reached its peak popularity in 2013, ranking #3,367 that year with 47 babies given the name.
In which U.S. states is Mesa most popular?
Mesa has historically been most popular in Idaho, Texas. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Mesa.
Is Mesa a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Mesa is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Mesa?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Mesa include Rafael, Tyanne, Angala. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

👧
Rafael
Peak #3367
👧
Tyanne
Peak #3367
👧
Angala
Peak #3367
👧
Prairie
Peak #3367
👧
Khaleelah
Peak #3367
👧
Delinah
Peak #3367
👧
Tamekka
Peak #3367
👧
Rivers
Peak #3368

About the name Mesa

Mesa is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1972 and has accumulated 859 births in the dataset. Mesa's peak popularity came in 2013 when it ranked #3,367. Use the chart and map above to compare Mesa's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.