How Many People Are Named Desha?
An estimated 772 people in the United States have the first name Desha. It is predominantly female (99.4%). The average bearer is 38 years old, and Desha peaked in popularity in 1997 with 43 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Desha as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Desha paired with any surname.
Estimated Living Americans
772
About 1 in 443,982 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Very Rare
Predicted Gender
Female
99.4% confidence
Average Age
38
years old
Peak Year
1997
43 births
Total Registered
818
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Desha
Desha is almost exclusively a female name. Out of 818 total births registered, 99.4% were female.
Desha as a male name
Ranked #9,207 in 1995
5 male births in 1995
Peak: 1995 (5 births)
Desha as a female name
Ranked #12,298 in 2013
8 female births in 2013
Peak: 1997 (43 births)
Desha in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 814 people with the first name Desha, which placed it at #14,485 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Desha was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 814 people with this name in that snapshot, 6.5% were male and 93.5% were female. That is less heavily female than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 99.4% female.
Census Count
814
people with this name
Census Rank
#14,485
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
0.27
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Desha was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (60.10%). The next largest recorded groups were White (24.14%) and Two or More Races (7.51%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Desha in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Desha.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Black | 60.10% | 488 |
| White | 24.14% | 196 |
| Two or More Races | 7.51% | 61 |
| Hispanic | 4.56% | 37 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 2.34% | 19 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.35% | 11 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Desha: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Desha span from the 1960s to the 2010s, covering 6 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1990s, when 296 babies were registered. Desha has declined significantly from its peak in the 1990s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
Desha by Decade
How has Desha tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Desha by State
Birth registrations for Desha span all 4 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in New York, California, Florida. The lowest are in Texas, Florida, California. On average, about 7 Deshas were registered per state.
Desha + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Desha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Desha
Other first names starting with D with a similar number of bearers.
Desha: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Desha?
We estimate approximately 772 people named Desha are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 443,982 Americans share this first name.
Is Desha a common name?
Desha is classified as "Very Rare" and is more popular than 88.3% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 818 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Desha most popular?
Desha reached peak popularity in 1997, when 43 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Desha is approximately 38 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Desha in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 814 people with the first name Desha. That placed it at #14,485 in the published Census first-name tables, or 0.27 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Desha was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Desha?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Desha was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 6.5% male and 93.5% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Desha?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Desha was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Black (60.10%). The next largest recorded groups were White (24.14%) and Two or More Races (7.51%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Desha a female name?
Desha is predominantly female. 99.4% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Desha have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Desha peaked in 1997, and the average living bearer is about 38 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Desha Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Desha Smith, Desha Johnson, Desha Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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