Save Gender Feminine Usage African American (Modern) Pronounced Pron. chə-KEE-shə, shə-KEE-shə [key] Other Forms FormsCheKesha, Shakeisha, Shakesha, Shakisha Meaning & History Possibly derived from the Swahili verb -chekesha meaning "to joke, to kid, to make laugh" (the causative form of -cheka "to laugh").