Lesha

♀ Girl

Pronounced LEE-shuh /ˈliː.ʃə/High

Meaning: Lesha reads most naturally as a clipped form of Aleisha or Alicia — themselves relatives of Alice, from a Germanic root meaning 'noble' — and it also sits in the -esha/-eisha sound family alongside Keisha and Tisha. It was used as a stand-alone birth name rather than only a nickname, which is what earns it a page of its own.Low

In 30 seconds: Lesha (said 'LEE-shuh') is a trim, two-beat girl's name — a short form of Aleisha or Alicia that many parents in its era simply put straight on the birth certificate.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningLesha reads most naturally as a clipped form of Aleisha or Alicia — themselves relatives of Alice, from a Germanic root meaning 'noble' — and it also sits in the -esha/-eisha sound family alongside Keisha and Tisha. It was used as a stand-alone birth name rather than only a nickname, which is what earns it a page of its own.

U.S. rank (1999)#15800 ↘ Falling

1999 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1960

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,053

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

Lesha is best understood as a diminutive-turned-given-name: a short form of Aleisha or Alicia (ultimately from Alice, 'noble'), and a member of the soft -esha sound family. It appears in the U.S. records from the mid-1950s, reached its high point around 1960, and had faded to rarity by the end of the century.

Because its peak fell around 1960, a woman named Lesha is now likely in her sixties, giving it a clear grandma-to-mom-era feel. It reads as a period short-name rather than a reviving classic, and it has stayed quiet in recent decades. Namers who like it tend to like Keisha and Tisha too; it makes a clean, easy monogram and pairs with siblings like Tara or Dana.

Did you know? Lesha is really the back half of Aleisha standing on its own — a mid-century habit of letting the friendly short form become the legal name, the same way Debby or Sandy did.

Overall data confidence 45%

References — Lesha — Short form of Aleisha/Alicia; -esha sound family; mid-century peak

Variations

AleishaAlishaLeisha

Nicknames

LeeLesh

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Lesha…

Aleisha— the fuller name Lesha shortens

Alicia— a parent name behind the -esha short forms

Keisha— a like soft -esha sound-family name

Tisha— another clipped -sha girl's name of the era

Explore names like Lesha

By themeshort nickname-name noble retro

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Lesha mean?

Lesha is a short form of Aleisha or Alicia (relatives of Alice, 'noble'), used in its era as a name in its own right.

How do you pronounce Lesha?

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

Is Lesha a boy or girl name?

Lesha is used as a girl's name, almost always as a girl's name.

How popular is Lesha?

Lesha was a quiet choice that crested at the start of the sixties and has been rare since; it reads as a mid-century short-name rather than a current favorite.