Rakisha is of African origin, specifically from the Yoruba people of Nigeria and Benin. It means "wisdom" in this language group's culture. This unique name gained popularity during the 1970s and 1980s in the United States, often used by parents looking for distinctive names for their daughters. The name Rakisha is pronounced as RAH-kih-shah, with a soft 'sh' sound at the end. It has been popular among African American communities but has since crossed cultural boundaries due to its appealing uniqueness.
The name Rakisha experienced a peak in popularity during the late 1970s to early 1980s, with the highest number of births occurring in 1981 (21) and 1982 (19). However, it appears that this trend did not continue into the 1990s, as the number of births decreased significantly over time, with only 5 births recorded in 1990. Overall, there were a total of 173 Rakishas born between 1975 and 1994.