Asha (Photo credit: zigazou76)
There’s a category of names that feels especially at home in the twenty-first century: the non-specifically exotic. They’re not Arabic or Mandarin or Hawaiian, exactly. They’re just not exactly European, even though they often share the same sounds. Think of all those kids you’ve met called Maya and Kai.
Thanks to Pree for suggesting another one that fits in this camp. Our Baby Name of the Day is Asha.
The successful non-specifically exotic names tend to feel right at home with popular English choices, and Asha is no exception. The once-masculine Ashley was a superstar for girls in the 1980s, and Asher is on the rise now. Asha is unrelated, and she takes a slightly different vowel-sound, rhyming with Sasha and Tasha, speaking of vaguely exotic choices.
She’s also had a run at the US Top 1000, debuting in 1989 at an impressive #796, but never gaining, and leaving the list entirely after 2000.
Too bad, because regardless which origin story you follow, Asha feels auspicious. Her first possible meaning is life, from a Swahili word, putting her in the company of white-hot celeb tot appellation Vida, though she often appears in English as Aisha. In Sanskrit, she means wish or hope – a virtue name of non-Christian derivation.
There’s even more to Asha, though. Zoroastrianism was once a major religion, and its sacred text was written in Avestan. Like ancient Aramaic or Old Church Slavonic, we know most of the language through its use in sacred works. In Avestan, asha means something along the lines of truth. She’s bigger than a name like Verity, though. Asha implies a sort of universal justice and order, too, and she’s symbolized by fire.
Most famous Ashas hail from India, like Bollywood staple Asha Bhosle. She’s contributed to countless movie soundtracks. This long-working grandmother has been Grammy-nominated and named to the Guiness Book of World Records as the most recorded artist – she made her first studio recording in 1947. She’s not better known because technically Bhosle is a playback singer – other actors lip-sync to tracks she has recorded. But in 1997, a relatively obscure British band called Cornership recorded a modestly successful single in her honor, “Brimful of Asha.” Fatboy Slim remixed it, and Bhosle’s reputation got a boost in the West.
A few other Indian notables answer to the name, and she’s a good cross-cultural option. Coronation Street characters Dev and Sunita Alahan welcomed twins in 2006 – a son called Aadi and daughter Asha.
That might’ve boosted her slightly in the English-speaking world, but odds are that it is science fiction that gets the real credit:
- Dark Angel launched the career of Jessica Alba. Second season character and resistance member Asha Barlow brought this name to a wider audience in the early 2000s.
- George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire series is better known an HBO original series A Game of Thrones. The books include a character named Asha Greyjoy – but she was re-named Yara for the television adaptation.
Call that second one a near-miss. Asha is still awaiting wider exposure. For now, she’s a great culture-spanning choice, and an appealing member of that particularly attractive group of exotics.
Charlotte Vera says
February 22, 2012 at 6:36 PMAsha was a name I encountered fairly frequently while growing up in India. More typically the name was worn by women of my mother’s generation, but I did have [identical] twin friends named Isha and Asha.
Sarah A mentioned Usha, another name I more frequently came across on women a generation older than myself. The Ushas I met were almost invariably “the salt of the earth”, but I always thought the name itself sounded too much like “whoosh” for my personal taste.
A sidenote: It’s not uncommon to find organisations in India named Asha Kendra, because the phrase literally translates to coming like “place of hope” or “centre of hope”, or even “seat of hope”. In addition to its meaning, it’s a sanskrit-root word that transliterates easily into English, hence the popularity.
Julie says
February 22, 2012 at 3:20 PMThe first time I had heard of Asha was back in the late 80’s when one of the Minneapolis Stations had a newscaster named Asha Blake. This was in the era Amber/Ashley era, so I never batted an eye at her name.
Kristine says
February 22, 2012 at 2:18 PMI just want to point out what great timing this name was featured on. It is Ash Wednesday today, and upon seeing Asha up there, I immediately thought, “Ash Wednesday!”
Sara says
February 22, 2012 at 11:47 AMI knew a Polish girl named Asia in college. Her name was pronounced to rhyme with Sasha.
Sally says
February 22, 2012 at 11:41 AMI went to school with an Asha! Her mother was French-Canadian and her father was from the Middle East. She’s the only Asha I’ve ever met, and I loved her name then and I love it now. It’s soft but still packs a punch. And you’re exactly right: it rhymes with Tasha and Sasha. AW-shuh.
Sarah A says
February 22, 2012 at 11:28 AMI’m confused. Is Asha a variant of Aisha or a completely different name? I like Aisha okay, but it’s kind of a boring compromise name to me – in the vein of Lena and Omar. But Usha is one I came across recently and have fallen in love with.
Also, Brimful of Asha is one of my favorite songs and is still in heavy rotation on my phone. Thanks for highlighting the history!
C in DC says
February 22, 2012 at 10:25 AMI’d love to see a series on these slightly exotic names. I went to college with a Sunita (from India) and thought it was a great name. In English, it’s part Susan, part Anita, and has the nn Sunny.
dreadedjaws says
February 22, 2012 at 9:35 AMSaw the name of the day on FB first and instantly got “Brimful of Asha” as my earworm of the day. That’s okay – time warp back to fun times. Anyway, I really like Asha and although it’s very much linked to Indian heritage to me, I’d consider it fair game regardless of one’s family background – it does fit in as fairly westernized (perhaps more here in the US than in England?).
Also, can I just say “woot woot!” for the mention of OCS! (I was going to “Anassa kata” you, but I highly doubt the presence of other Bryn Mawr women – suffice it to say, it’s a big positive.) Makes me think of a great class and prof I had back in the day! Thank you for time warping me twice in one post to very happy times!
dreadedjaws says
February 22, 2012 at 9:38 AMBTW – it’s Cornershop with the song… not Cornership 🙂
KatieB says
February 22, 2012 at 9:28 AMI’ve never come across this name before. At first glance I would have thought it was an alternative/misspelling of Asia and would pron. it the same (AY shuh). However, reading your post, I’m assuming it is supposed to be pron. (ASH uh)?
Sarah says
February 22, 2012 at 9:14 AMI love the sound and look of Asha. I don’t think I would use it, but I would encourage others to. 🙂
Kirsten says
February 22, 2012 at 3:13 AMIn my college days, I knew a young man with the name Asha. While it seems to historically be a female name (and sounds it because of the a at the end), I remember loving the name because of how he carried it. Love the varied meanings and like this so much more than Aisha.