Girl · #15,782 in 2026

Nesha

Name: Popularity of the name Nesha in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Nesha, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Kültepe, also known under its ancient name Kaneš or Neša (Nesha), is an archaeological site in Kayseri Province, Turkey. It was already a major settlement at the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, but it is world-renowned for its significance at the beginning of the 2nd millennium BC.

Current Rank

#15,782

Peak Rank

#3,189 (1976)

Total Babies

478

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1965

First Year

2003

Last Year

1976

Peak Year

#3189

Peak Rank

478

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Nesha

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

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

Origin & history

Kültepe is located about 20 km northeast from the modern city Kayseri . Its ancient name is recorded in Assyrian and Hittite sources. In Assyrian inscriptions from the 20th and the 19th century BC, the city was mentioned as Kaneš (also transcribed as Kanesh); in later Hittite inscriptions, the city was mentioned as Neša (sometimes transcribed as Nesha, Nessa or Nesa. Neša derives from [Ka]neša). The site is divided into two main areas: the circular mound (tepe, höyük) and the lower town to its northeast. The mound was inhabited (with discontinuity) from the Early Bronze Age through the Roman E

The Story of Nesha

Nesha first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1965, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1976, when 22 Neshas were born — ranking #3,189 that year. As of 2026, Nesha ranks #15,782 for baby girls with 5 births, with steady use. In total, more than 478 Neshas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Nesha

Phonetically similar names — useful when Nesha 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 Nesha

What does the name Nesha mean?

How popular is Nesha in 2026?

In 2026, Nesha ranks #15,782 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.

When was Nesha most popular?

Nesha reached its peak popularity in 1976, ranking #3,189 that year with 22 babies given the name.

Is Nesha a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Nesha is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Nesha?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Nesha include Estee, Harlan, Tineka. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Nesha

Nesha is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1965 and has accumulated 478 births in the dataset. Nesha's peak popularity came in 1976 when it ranked #3,189. Use the chart and map above to compare Nesha'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.