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Keshia

♀ Girl

Pronounced KEE-shuh /ˈkiː.ʃə/High

Meaning: Keshia is a spelling of Keisha, most often traced to Keziah — one of Job's daughters in the Bible, from Hebrew qetsiah, 'cassia,' a fragrant spice tree — though it also reads as a modern African-American coinage.Medium

In 30 seconds: Keshia is a spelling of Keisha (said 'KEE-shuh'), usually linked to biblical Keziah, 'the cassia tree.'

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Origin MediumHebrew, English

MeaningKeshia is a spelling of Keisha, most often traced to Keziah — one of Job's daughters in the Bible, from Hebrew qetsiah, 'cassia,' a fragrant spice tree — though it also reads as a modern African-American coinage.

U.S. rank (2011)#12781 ↗ Rising

2011 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1986

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,380

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

Keshia belongs to the Keisha family that flourished in African-American naming from the seventies into the eighties. The likeliest source is Keziah, a biblical daughter of Job, from Hebrew for the fragrant cassia tree, though many parents chose it purely for its sound. Keshia peaked in the mid-eighties and eased off afterward.

A Keshia from her peak is now in her late thirties, a Gen-X-into-Millennial cohort name. It reads as a warm eighties choice; the spelling stays tied to that decade and has not notably revived.

Did you know? Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam used this exact spelling as the child star who played Rudy on The Cosby Show, keeping it visible right through its mid-eighties peak.

Overall data confidence 72%

References — Keshia — Variant of Keisha (poss. Keziah, Heb. 'cassia'); mid-1980s peak

Variations

KeishaKeshaKeshia

Nicknames

KeshKiki

Famous Bearers

★Keshia Knight Pulliam (1979–present)
American actress who played Rudy Huxtable as a child on the sitcom The Cosby Show.

If you like Keshia…

Keisha— the standard spelling of the same name

Kesha— a like short spelling of the same sound

Aisha— a same-era name with a like soft ending

Tanisha— a same-period African-American favorite

Explore names like Keshia

By themerespelling african-american 1980s

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Keshia mean?

Keshia is a variant of Keisha, usually traced to Keziah, from Hebrew for the fragrant cassia tree.

How do you pronounce Keshia?

It's said KEE-shuh /ˈkiː.ʃə/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Keshia a boy or girl name?

Keshia is used as a girl's name, a spelling of Keisha.

How popular is Keshia?

Keshia was a favorite that peaked in the mid-eighties and has been uncommon since.