Kesa

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Kesa

Pronounced KEE-suh /ˈkisə/Low

Meaning: Kesa is most naturally read as a trimmed form of Keisha, the popular African American name that itself may echo the biblical Keziah ('cassia,' a fragrant bark) or simply be coined for its sound. Kesa reduces it to two clean syllables. The exact route is uncertain - it could also stand as an independent short name - so it reads as a modern coinage in the Keisha family.Low

In 30 seconds: Kesa is a rare girl's name, most likely a short form of Keisha. It appeared around 1978 (said KEE-suh).

💕 Browse more names

Origin LowAfrican American, American

MeaningKesa is most naturally read as a trimmed form of Keisha, the popular African American name that itself may echo the biblical Keziah ('cassia,' a fragrant bark) or simply be coined for its sound. Kesa reduces it to two clean syllables. The exact route is uncertain - it could also stand as an independent short name - so it reads as a modern coinage in the Keisha family.

U.S. rank (1985)#11516 ↘ Falling

1985 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1978

Total births (all-time)≈ 135

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Kesa reads as a short, streamlined form of Keisha, one of the signature African American girls' names of the 1970s. Whether it began as a clipping of Keisha or an independent two-syllable coinage is unclear, so we note both honestly. It has always been rare, a spare, modern-sounding name.

Kesa had its small peak around 1978, given to only about fourteen girls in its peak year. A girl named Kesa then is in her mid-forties today, a Generation X name.

Did you know? Kesa's likely parent, Keisha, is sometimes traced to the biblical Keziah, 'cassia,' the fragrant bark - though Keisha itself rose mainly as a coined 1970s favorite.

Overall data confidence 30%

References - Kesa — Likely short form of Keisha (cf. Keziah 'cassia'); late-1970s use; route uncertain.

Variations

KeishaKeshaKesiaKeziah

Nicknames

KessKee

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Kesa…

Keisha— the likely parent name Kesa shortens

Kesha— a like short name of the same family

Tessa— a comparable brisk two-syllable girl's name

Keziah— the biblical name Keisha may echo

Explore names like Kesa

By themerare coinage african-american short-form

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Kesa mean?

It is most likely a short form of Keisha, a modern name sometimes tied to the biblical Keziah, 'cassia.'

How do you pronounce Kesa?

It is said KEE-suh /ˈkisə/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Kesa a boy or girl name?

Kesa is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Kesa?

It was always rare, given to only about fourteen girls in its peak year around the late nineteen-seventies.