Given name & surname
Asaf
“one who gathers or collects”
Asaf is a variant of Asaph. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who gathers or collects.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Asaf is a variant of Asaph. One Hebrew interpretation is “one who gathers or collects.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Asaf is a variant of Asaph. An origin associated with Asaph is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1978. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. Asaf is a variant of Asaph. The history of Asaph gives this family its wider story. Asaph appears in biblical tradition, giving it a longstanding religious and cultural context.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Asaf through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 408
- 408 boys · 0 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 26 babies
- 2025
- 18
- #5,225 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +39%
- Rising
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 18 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,225 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 39.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 696 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Asaf’s family of names
Asaf has a related form in Asaph. In Greek usage, Asaf as a surname is a transliteration of Ασάφ.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Asaf
- Nizam-ul-Mulk, Asaf Jah I18th-century Nizam of Hyderabad1671–1748
- Asaf AvidanIsraeli singer, songwriter and musicianborn 1980
- Sikander Jah, Asaf Jah IIINizam of Hyderabad1768–1829
- Abu'l-Hasan Asaf KhanGovernor of Lahore in 16251569–1641
- Asaf AliIndian politician (1888-1953)
- Asaf-ud-DaulaNawab wazir of Oudh in north India (1748-1797)
- Nasir-ud-DaulahNizam of Hyderabad (1794–1857)
- Afzal-ud-DaulahKing of Hyderabad (1827-1869)
- Asaf ZeynallyAzerbaijani composer (1909–1932)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Asaf, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Eithan
“firmness” · “long-lived”
>99% boys
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“encampment”
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“God is gracious”
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“my father is help” · “father of help”
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Alam
Alam is a surname.
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Amael
>99% boys
Arshman
>99% boys
Nethaniah
“Yah has given”
>99% boys