The name Tashia made its first appearance in the U.S. baby name data in 1962:
- 1964: 5 baby girls named Tashia
- 1963: unlisted
- 1962: 12 baby girls named Tashia
- 1961: unlisted
- 1960: unlisted
Where did it come from?
A comic strip called Rib Kirby (1946-1999), in which the titular character, a private detective, had various adventures. A storyline that ran in newspapers from April to August of 1962 featured a character named Tashia Rambeau.
Tashia was on the lookout for a man who had swindled her best friend out of $50,000. She knew the man had the initials “R.K.,” so she thought Rip Kirby might be the crook.
The name Tashia got another boost a few years later thanks to the I Spy episode “Tatia” (pronounced tasha), which aired in late 1965.
P.S. The name Rip has always been rare, but it was used most often in the ’50s and ’60s.
Sources: Rip Kirby #7 – 1962-1964 – GCD, Rip Kirby – Wikipedia