Given name & surname
Asher
“fortunate”·“happy”·“filled with happiness”
Asher is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “fortunate” (Hebrew), “happy” (Hebrew), and “filled with happiness” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Original Hebrewאשר
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “fortunate” (Hebrew), “happy” (Hebrew), and “filled with happiness” (Hebrew). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Asher appears in Joshua 17:7, Genesis 30:12-13, Genesis 30:9-11 and 1 other passage.
- Joshua 17:7
- Genesis 30:12-13
- Genesis 30:9-11
- Judges 1:32
From biblical name research
Asher through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 112,690
- 111,227 boys · 1,463 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 8,527 babies
- 2025
- 7,519
- #28 for boys · #2,721 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +21%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7,456 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 28 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 21.3% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 63 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (622). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 61,307 as a first name in 2020; 12,567 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Asher’s family of names
In English usage, Asher shares a linguistic root with the Finnish form ASSER. Asher has a related form in Ashur. Asher has a related form in Ashar.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Asher has relatives in 4 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
3 related names in 4 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 7
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 4
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 13
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Asher
- Asher AngelAmerican actorborn 2002
- Asher Brown DurandAmerican painter and engraver (1796-1886)
- Asher RothAmerican rapperborn 1985
- Asher MonroeAmerican dancer and actorborn 1988
- Asher KeddieAustralian actressborn 1974
- Asher ben JehielRabbi and Talmudist1250–1327
- Asher PeresIsraeli physicist (1934–2005)
- Asher HongAmerican gymnastborn 2004
- Asher GrunisIsraeli judgeborn 1945
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Asher, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Amir
“a prince” · “from the treetop”
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Axel
“source of life; small oak” · “axe”
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Adriel
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Asa
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89% boys · 11% girls
Ezekiel
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>99% boys
Ezra
“help” · “one who is helpful”
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Abel
“the life force; breath”
>99% boys
Elias
“Jehovah is my God” · “yahweh is God”
>99% boys