Ayesha
Meaningalive, living · Arabic
Ayesha is an Arabic girl name meaning “alive, living”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name.
Did you know?
- Word funAyesha starts and ends with the same letter, A. A neat little bookend.
- Scrabble scoreIf names were allowed in Scrabble, Ayesha would score 12 points, thanks largely to the Y (worth 4).
- GenerationAyesha peaked in 1979, which makes it a Gen X name. The typical Ayesha you'd meet today is about 46 years old. Now it's back in style, so there's a whole new generation of baby Ayeshas too.
- Roll callIn a typical school of 500 kids, your Ayesha would very likely be the only one. About 1 in 10,299 baby girls got the name in 2025.
- HistoryAyesha first shows up in US birth records in 1950, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 75 years since.
- Where it's lovedWant to meet a lot of Ayeshas? Head to New York, where it's the #462 girl name, its best showing of any state.
US births per million girls, 1950–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
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Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
About the name Ayesha
Ayesha is a girl name of Arabic origin meaning “alive, living”. With 3 syllables it has a flowing, lyrical sound, so a short middle name balances it nicely. It hit its peak in the 1970s and is climbing again now. It's rarely heard today, so it stands out while still being a real, established name.
Origin:Arabic names
More Arabic girl names
- Girl name: Eleanor · possibly light
- Girl name: Layla · night
- Girl name: Lyla · night
- Girl name: Aaliyah · exalted
- Girl name: Amira · princess
- Girl name: Lilly · lily flower
- Girl name: Leila · night
- Girl name: Aliyah · ascent
Questions about the name Ayesha
What does the name Ayesha mean?
Ayesha means “alive, living” and comes from Arabic. Other girl names with a similar meaning include Aysha (“alive, living”), Aishah (“alive, living”) and Eabha (“living”).
What is the origin of the name Ayesha?
Ayesha is Arabic in origin. Other Arabic names to consider are Eleanor (“possibly light”), Layla (“night”), Lyla (“night”) and Aaliyah (“exalted”).
Is Ayesha a boy or girl name?
Ayesha is a girl name. In 2025, 156 US girls were named Ayesha.
How popular is the name Ayesha?
Ayesha ranked #1,396 for US girls in 2025, given to 156 babies. Its best year was 1979, when it reached #974. Over the last five years it has climbed 72 places.
What names are similar to Ayesha?
If you like Ayesha, you might also like Aysha, Aishah and Eabha.
What should I know before naming my baby Ayesha?
Ayesha is an Arabic girl name meaning “alive, living”. Arabic names are often chosen for a virtue or a blessing parents hope their child will carry. A meaning like this gives a child something to grow into, and a good story to tell when someone asks about their name. It sounds flowing and melodic, it's simple to spell and say, and it pairs well with a short middle name. Say it out loud with your last name and any middle names you're considering, and check the initials it makes.