The first name Asha
A girl’s name from Sanskrit meaning “hope”, “wish”.
2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Sanskrit origin
Asha means “hope”, “wish” in Sanskrit.
Borrowed from Sanskrit आशा (āśā, “hope, wish”).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 16 girls were named Asha, making it the 1,809th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2003, with 125 births (#313).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Asha with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Asha at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 160 girls born in the United States were named Asha, the 1,373rd most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2000, when 250 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Asha in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Famous people named Asha
6 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Asha PhilipBritish sprinter, born 1990
- Asha BanksEnglish actress and singer, born 2003
- Asha GigiEthiopian marathon runner, born 1973
- Asha RawatCricketer, born 1982
- Asha KaleActress, born 1948
- Bella ForsgrénFinnish politician, born 1992
More Sanskrit girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Asha mean?
- Asha means “hope”, “wish” in Sanskrit.
- What is the origin of the name Asha?
- Borrowed from Sanskrit आशा (āśā, “hope, wish”).
- How popular is the name Asha?
- In 2025, 16 girls born in England and Wales were named Asha, ranking 1,809th. Its peak was 2003, with 125 births.
- Is Asha a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 99% of the 9,127 US babies named Asha since 1880 were girls.
- When was Asha most popular?
- 2000 in the United States, when 250 babies were named Asha, its highest rank at 882nd.