How popular is the baby name Ashanti in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Ashanti.

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Popularity of the baby name Ashanti


Posts that mention the name Ashanti

Baby names with ASH: Ashton, Rashida, Vikash

ash tree

Looking for baby names that contain the word ASH?

If so, you’re in luck!

Below you’ll find a long list of names that contain the letter sequence “a-s-h.” Most of these names come directly from the U.S. SSA’s baby name data.

  • Abhilash
  • Adasha
  • Adashia
  • Akash, Aakash, Akaash
  • Akashdeep
  • Alasha
  • Alashia
  • Aleasha
  • Aleashia
  • Anashia
  • Anastasha
  • Anastashia
  • Antashia
  • Arash
  • Arashdeep
  • Arashel
  • Ash
  • Asha, Aasha
  • Ashad, Ashaad
  • Ashaki
  • Ashal
  • Ashala
  • Ashalee
  • Ashalina
  • Ashan, Ashaan
  • Ashana, Ashanna
  • Ashanae
  • Ashanda
  • Ashani
  • Ashanique
  • Ashanta
  • Ashantay
  • Ashante
  • Ashanti, Ashantie, Ashanty, Ashantee
  • Ashantia
  • Ashantiana
  • Ashantis
  • Ashar
  • Ashara
  • Ashari, Asharie, Asharee
  • Asharia
  • Ashaud
  • Ashawnte, Ashaunte
  • Ashawn, Ashaun
  • Ashawna, Ashauna
  • Ashawnti, Ashaunti
  • Ashaya
  • Ashaz
  • Ashburn
  • Ashby
  • Ashden, Ashdon, Ashdyn
  • Ashe
  • Ashea
  • Asheena
  • Ashely, Asheley, Asheli, Ashelee, Ashelly
  • Ashelyn, Ashelynn
  • Asher, Ashur
  • Asherah
  • Asheton
  • Ashey, Ashee
  • Ashfaq
  • Ashford
  • Ashgan
  • Ashi, Aashi
  • Ashia, Ashiah, Ashiya
  • Ashiana
  • Ashima
  • Ashini
  • Ashira, Ashirah
  • Ashish, Aashish
  • Ashka, Aashka
  • Ashkan
  • Ashkii
    • Ashkii is the Navajo word for “boy.”
  • Ashkon
  • Ashla
  • Ashlan
  • Ashland
  • Ashlay
  • Ashle
  • Ashlea
  • Ashleah
  • Ashleen
  • Ashlen
  • Ashlesha
  • Ashley, Ashlee, Ashleigh, Ashlie, Ashly, Ashli, Ashlei, Ashlye, Ashlii
  • Ashlin, Ashlinn
  • Ashling
  • Ashlley, Ashlly
  • Ashlon
  • Ashlynd
  • Ashlynn, Ashlyn, Ashlynne, Ashlyne
  • Ashmeet
  • Ashmi
  • Ashmir
  • Ashmit
  • Ashmita
  • Ashna, Aashna
  • Ashneel
  • Ashney, Ashni
  • Ashok
  • Ashon
  • Ashonda
  • Ashonna
  • Ashonta
  • Ashonte
  • Ashonti
  • Ashraf
  • Ashriel
  • Ashrita, Aashrita
  • Ashrit, Aashrit
  • Ashrith, Aashrith
  • Ashritha, Aashritha
  • Ashriya, Aashriya
  • Ashtian
  • Ashton, Ashtin, Ashten, Ashtyn, Ashtynn, Ashtan
  • Ashunti
  • Ashura
  • Ashutosh
  • Ashvath
  • Ashvika
  • Ashvin
  • Ashwaq
  • Ashwath
  • Ashwika
  • Ashwin
  • Ashwini
  • Ashya, Ashyah
  • Ashyia
  • Ashyr
  • Ashyra
  • Ashyria
  • Atasha
  • Aurash
  • Avinash
  • Ayasha
  • Ayeasha
  • Ayyash
  • Bash
  • Basha
  • Bashan
  • Bashar
  • Bashawn, Bashaun
  • Basheba
  • Bashir, Basheer
  • Bashira, Bashirah
  • Bashiri
  • Bashkim
  • Bashton
  • Bashy
  • Brashawn, Brashaun
  • Brasher
  • Breasha
  • Briasha
  • Cash
  • Casha
  • Cashara
  • Cashawn, Cashaun
  • Cashay, Cashae
  • Cashden
  • Cashe
  • Cashea
  • Casheena
  • Cashel
  • Cashen
  • Casher
  • Cashius
  • Cashlyn, Cashlynn, Cashlin
  • Cashmere
  • Cashon
  • Cashton, Cashten, Cashtyn
  • Cashus
  • Catasha
  • Danasha
  • Danashia
  • Dash
  • Dasha
  • Dashai
  • Dashal, Dashall
  • Dashan
  • Dashana, Dashanna
  • Dashanae
  • Dashanda
  • Dashanique
  • Dashara
  • Dashawn, Dashaun
  • Dashawna, Dashauna
  • Dashay, Dashae
  • Dashayla
  • Dashea
  • Dasheem
  • Dashelle, Dashell, Dashel
  • Dasher
  • Dashia, Dashiya
  • Dashiell, Dashiel
  • Dashira
  • Dashley, Dashly
  • Dashon
  • Dashona, Dashonna
  • Dashonda
  • Dashone
  • Dashton
  • Dashun
  • Dashya
  • Davasha
  • Deasha
  • Deashia
  • Deashley
  • Denasha
  • Diasha
  • Drashawn, Drashaun
  • Drashti
  • Easha
  • Eashan, Eashaan
  • Elasha
  • Eleasha
  • Equasha
  • Etasha
  • Fantasha
  • Fantashia
  • Fasha
  • Fashionette
  • Folashade
  • Grasha
  • Hadasha
  • Hasha
  • Hashem
  • Hashim, Hasheem
  • Hashir, Haashir
  • Hisashi
  • Iasha
  • Iashia
  • Ieasha
  • Indasha
  • Itasha
  • Jalashia
  • Janasha
  • Janashia
  • Jaquasha
  • Jash
  • Jasha
  • Jashad
  • Jashan
  • Jashana
  • Jashanpreet
  • Jashawna, Jashauna
  • Jashawn, Jashaun
  • Jashay, Jashae
  • Jashayla
  • Jasher
  • Jashia, Jashiya
  • Jashira
  • Jashley, Jashly
  • Jashon
  • Jashonda
  • Jashua
  • Jashvi
  • Jashyra
  • Jatasha
  • Joash
  • Kadasha
  • Kadashia
  • Kailash
  • Kakashi
  • Kanasha
  • Kash
  • Kasha
  • Kashad
  • Kashala
  • Kashan
  • Kashana, Kashanna
  • Kashanda
  • Kashanta
  • Kashanti
  • Kashara
  • Kashari
  • Kashawn, Kashaun
  • Kashawna, Kashauna
  • Kashay, Kashae
  • Kashayla
  • Kashden, Kashdyn, Kashdon
  • Kashe
  • Kasheem
  • Kasheen
  • Kashena
  • Kasher
  • Kashi
  • Kashia
  • Kashif, Kaashif, Kashiff
  • Kashika
  • Kashima
  • Kashina, Kasheena
  • Kashindi
  • Kashira
  • Kashis
  • Kashish
  • Kashius
  • Kashka
  • Kashley, Kashlee
  • Kashlyn, Kashlynn
  • Kashmir
  • Kashonda
  • Kashun
  • Kashunda
  • Kashvi
  • Kashyap
  • Katasha
  • Katashia
  • Keasha
  • Keashia
  • Keiasha
  • Keneasha
  • Keyasha
  • Keyashia
  • Kiasha
  • Kieasha
  • Killashandra
  • Koyasha
  • Kwashawn
  • Kyasha
  • Lacasha
  • Lacreasha
  • Ladasha
  • Ladashia
  • Lakasha
  • Lakeasha
  • Lanasha
  • Laquasha
  • Larasha
  • Lash
  • Lasha
  • Lashad
  • Lashai
  • Lashan, Lashann
  • Lashana, Lashanna
  • Lashanay, Lashanae
  • Lashanda
  • Lashandra
  • Lashane
  • Lashanette
  • Lashannon
  • Lashanta
  • Lashante
  • Lashanya
  • Lashara, Lasharra
  • Lashari, Lasharee
  • Lasharon
  • Lashasta
  • Lashavia
  • Lashaw
  • Lashawanda
  • Lashawda
  • Lashawn, Lashaun
  • Lashawna, Lashauna
  • Lashawnda, Lashaunda
  • Lashawndra, Lashaundra
  • Lashawne, Lashaune
  • Lashay, Lashae, Lashaye
  • Lashaya
  • Lashayla
  • Lasheba
  • Lasheia
  • Lasheila
  • Lasheka
  • Lashekia
  • Lashella
  • Lashelle, Lashell, Lashel
  • Lashema
  • Lashena
  • Lashera
  • Lasherrie
  • Lasheryl
  • Lashia
  • Lashika, Lashica
  • Lashina, Lasheena
  • Lashira
  • Lashon
  • Lashona, Lashonna
  • Lashond
  • Lashonda
  • Lashondia
  • Lashondra
  • Lashondria
  • Lashone, Lashonne
  • Lashonia
  • Lashonta
  • Lashonya
  • Lashun
  • Lashuna
  • Lashunda
  • Lashundia
  • Lashundra
  • Lashune
  • Lashunya
  • Lashyra
  • Lastasha
  • Latash
  • Latasha
  • Latashi
  • Latashia
  • Latashua
  • Lateasha
  • Lateashia
  • Lathasha
  • Latiasha
  • Lavasha
  • Leasha
  • Leashia
  • Lenash
  • Letasha
  • Litasha
  • Lotasha
  • Makasha
  • Malasha
  • Mariasha
  • Marquasha
  • Masashi
  • Masha
  • Mashad
  • Mashal
  • Mashala
  • Mashana
  • Mashanda
  • Mashawn, Mashaun
  • Mashawna, Mashauna
  • Mashawnda, Mashaunda
  • Mashaya
  • Mashayla
  • Masheka
  • Mashelle, Mashell
  • Mashika
  • Mashiya
  • Mashon
  • Mashona
  • Mashonda
  • Mashunda
  • Matasha
  • Measha
  • Menashe
  • Miasha
  • Monasha
  • Mubashir
  • Musashi
  • Myeasha
  • Mylashia
  • Nasasha
  • Nash
  • Nasha
  • Nashai
  • Nashalie, Nashaly, Nashalee, Nashali
  • Nashanda
  • Nashanti
  • Nashara
  • Nashari
  • Nashawn, Nashaun
  • Nashay, Nashae
  • Nashaya
  • Nashayla
  • Nashea
  • Nasheena
  • Nasheka
  • Nashelle
  • Nashely
  • Nashia
  • Nashid, Nasheed
  • Nashima, Nasheema
  • Nashira
  • Nashla
  • Nashly, Nashley, Nashli
  • Nashoba
  • Nashon
  • Nashonda
  • Nashrah
  • Nashton, Nashtyn
  • Nashua
  • Nashville
  • Nashwa
  • Nashwan
  • Nashya
  • Nashyra
  • Nastasha
  • Nastashia
  • Natash
  • Natasha
  • Natashi
  • Natashia
  • Natashua
  • Nateasha
  • Nathasha
  • Netasha
  • Niasha
  • Nihash
  • Nikash
  • Nikasha
  • Nitasha
  • Notasha
  • Nyasha
  • Nytasha
  • Palash
  • Palwasha
  • Pasha
  • Pashence, Pashance
  • Pashia
  • Pashion, Pashen, Pashun, Pashyn
  • Prakash
  • Prashant
  • Priyasha
  • Quaashie
  • Quadasha
  • Quantasha
  • Quantashia
  • Quasha
  • Quashana
  • Quashawn, Quashaun
  • Quashay
  • Quashon
  • Quashonda
  • Quintasha
  • Quintashia
  • Rasha
  • Rashad, Rashaad, Rhashad
  • Rashada
  • Rashamel
  • Rashan, Rashaan, Raashan, Rashann
  • Rashana, Rashanna
  • Rashanda
  • Rashandra
  • Rashanique
  • Rashard
  • Rashaud
  • Rashaunda
  • Rashawd
  • Rashawn, Rashaun
  • Rashawna, Rashauna
  • Rashawnda
  • Rashay, Rashae
  • Rashayla
  • Rashe
  • Rashea
  • Rashean
  • Rasheda
  • Rasheeda, Rasheedah
  • Rasheen
  • Rashele
  • Rashelle, Rashell, Rashel
  • Rashena
  • Rasheta
  • Rashetta
  • Rashi, Raashi, Rashee
  • Rashia
  • Rashid, Rasheed
  • Rashida, Rashidah, Raashida
  • Rashidat
  • Rashidi
  • Rashim, Rasheem
  • Rashita, Rasheeta
  • Rashmi
  • Rashod
  • Rashon
  • Rashonda
  • Rashone
  • Rashun
  • Rashunda
  • Rashya
  • Ratasha
  • Reneasha
  • Riyasha
  • Rotasha
  • Santasha
  • Sasha
  • Sashay
  • Sashe
  • Sasheen
  • Sasheer
  • Sashenka
  • Sashi
  • Sashia
  • Sashya
  • Shadasha
  • Shanasha
  • Shardasha
  • Shasha
  • Shashana
  • Shashanth
  • Shashawn, Shashaun
  • Shashawna, Shashauna
  • Shashi
  • Shashwat
  • Shatasha
  • Shreyash
  • Siavash
  • Simbarashe
  • Stash
  • Stasha
  • Stashia
  • Suyash
  • Tadashi
  • Taiasha
  • Takashi
  • Takashia
  • Talasha
  • Tamasha
  • Tanasha
  • Tanashia
  • Taneasha
  • Tarasha
  • Tash
  • Tasha
  • Tashai
  • Tashala
  • Tashalee
  • Tashan
  • Tashana, Tashanna
  • Tashanae
  • Tashanda
  • Tashanika
  • Tashanique
  • Tashanti
  • Tashara, Tasharra
  • Tashari
  • Tasharia
  • Tashawn, Tashaun
  • Tashawna, Tashauna
  • Tashay, Tashaye, Tashae
  • Tashaya
  • Tashayla
  • Tashe
  • Tashea
  • Tasheanna
  • Tasheba
  • Tasheen
  • Tasheia
  • Tasheka
  • Tashekia
  • Tashel, Tashell
  • Tashema
  • Tashena
  • Tashera
  • Tashfia
  • Tashfin
  • Tashi, Tashie, Tashee
  • Tashia, Tashiya
  • Tashiana, Tashianna, Tashiyana
  • Tashika, Tashica
  • Tashima, Tasheema
  • Tashina, Tasheena
  • Tashiona, Tasheona
  • Tashira
  • Tashon
  • Tashona
  • Tashonda
  • Tashua
  • Tashunda
  • Tashvi
  • Tashya
  • Tashyana
  • Tashyla
  • Tashyra
  • Tatasha
  • Tawasha
  • Teasha
  • Teashia
  • Teneasha
  • Terasha
  • Thasha
  • Tiasha
  • Tieasha
  • Tinasha
  • Tinashe
  • Tyasha
  • Tyeasha
  • Tylasha
  • Tynasha
  • Vash
  • Vashanti
  • Vashawn, Vashaun
  • Vashion
  • Vashon
  • Vashonda
  • Vashone
  • Vashta
  • Vashti, Vashtie
  • Vatasha
  • Vikash
  • Washington
  • Watasha
  • Yash
  • Yasha
  • Yashar
  • Yashas
  • Yashasvi
  • Yashaswini
  • Yasheka
  • Yashekia
  • Yashfa
  • Yashia
  • Yashica, Yashika
  • Yashima
  • Yashita
  • Yashmit
  • Yashoda
  • Yashraj
  • Yashua
  • Yashveer
  • Yashvi
  • Yashwant, Yashwanth
  • Yashwin
  • Yatasha
  • Zasha
  • Zashawn, Zashaun

Some of the above are non-traditional spellings of more common names such as Cassius, Joshua, Alicia, and Michelle.

Which ASH name do you like most? Let me know in the comments!

Sources: SSA, Ashkii – Wiktionary

Image: Adapted from Fraxinus angustifolia ssp. oxycarpa by Assianir under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Where did the baby name Anansa come from in 1979?

The character Dr. Anansa Linderby (played by Beverly Johnson) from the movie "Ashanti" (1979)
Dr. Anansa Linderby from “Ashanti

The rare name Anansa first popped up in the U.S. baby name data in 1979:

  • 1981: unlisted
  • 1980: unlisted
  • 1979: 5 baby girls named Anansa [debut]
  • 1978: unlisted
  • 1977: unlisted

Why?

Because of a celebrity baby, or a movie character, or both.

Fashion model Beverly Johnson made her acting debut in the late ’70s adventure film Ashanti, in which she and Michael Caine portrayed married medical doctors named Anansa and David Linderby. Ashanti was shot largely in Africa during 1978.

The same year, in late December, Johnson gave birth to a baby girl — her first and only child.

In January of 1979, Jet magazine published a photo of Johnson and her newborn daughter, who’d been named Anansa.

“I loved the name,” she beamed, “and I was pregnant with her during [filming]. I even told the producers that if I had a girl I would name her Anansa.”

Model Beverly Johnson with baby Anansa
Beverly Johnson holding baby Anansa

Several months later, in April, Ashanti finally came out in theaters.

The movie clearly gave the baby name Ashanti a boost in 1979:

  • 1981: 89 baby girls named Ashanti
  • 1980: 191 baby girls named Ashanti
  • 1979: 175 baby girls named Ashanti
  • 1978: 53 baby girls named Ashanti
  • 1977: 44 baby girls named Ashanti

But I’m not sure if it was the primary reason for the debut of Anansa, considering that Jet magazine has a long history of influencing U.S. baby names (e.g., Nasiya, Kushana, Nkenge, Charlayne, Tondalaya).

Ashanti was based on the Spanish-language novel Ébano (1974) by Alberto Vázquez-Figueroa. In the book, the protagonists were named David and Nadia Alexander (and neither one was a doctor).

I don’t know how the screenwriters came up with the name Anansa, but it does remind me of Anansi — the name of a spider character in the folktales of the Ashanti (and other Akan peoples).

What are your thoughts on the name Anansa?

P.S. Beverly Johnson became the first African-American model featured on the cover of American Vogue in 1974 — eight years after Donyale Luna appeared on the cover of British Vogue, in 1966.

Sources:

Images: Screenshot of Ashanti; clipping from Jet magazine (18 Jan. 1979).

What gave the baby name Ashanti a boost in 2002?

Ashanti's self-titled debut album (2002)
Ashanti album

The baby name Ashanti shot to peak usage — and nearly into the girls’ top 100 — in the year 2002:

Girls named Ashanti [rank]Boys named Ashanti
2004532 [533rd]10
2003962 [325th]6
20022,945* [115th]23
2001281 [825th]24
200020620
*Peak usage

Here’s a visual:

Graph of the usage of the baby name Ashanti in the U.S. since 1880
Usage of the baby name Ashanti

Many Ashanti-like names also saw higher usage in 2002. Examples include Ashanty, Ashante, Ashaunti, Ashantee, Ashonti, Ashawnti, Ashonte, Ashantie, Kashanti, Tashanti, and Lashanti (the fastest-rising girl name of 2002) — not to mention debut names such as Jashanti, Dashanti, Eshanti, Ashauntee, and Ashantii.

What was drawing so much attention to the name Ashanti in the early 2000s?

Mononymous R&B singer Ashanti (pronounced uh-SHAHN-tee), born Ashanti Douglas in New York in 1980.

Ashanti kicked off her career with a string of hits.

In early 2002, she was the featured artist on two songs — “Always On Time” by Ja Rule and “What’s Luv?” by Fat Joe — that peaked at #1 and #2 (respectively) on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart. After that, her first solo single, “Foolish,” reached the top spot and stayed there for ten weeks straight (from April to June).

Here’s the audio for “Foolish”:

The following year, Ashanti reached the #2 spot twice more — first as the featured artist on “Mesmerize” (again by Ja Rule), and second with her solo single “Rock Wit U (Awww Baby).”

Here’s what Ashanti told Jet magazine in 2002 about her name:

She said the name Ashanti originates in the African country of Ghana. “It is a tribe and what’s cool about it is that in a lot of countries women are low on the totem pole. But in the Ashanti tribe women are respected.”

The word Ashanti is a form of the word Asante, which refers to the Asante people of Ghana. The etymology of Asante isn’t known for certain — one theory links it to a Twi word meaning “war,” another to a Twi word meaning “clay.”

In mid-2022, the singer turned her experience of growing up with an unusual name into a children’s book called My Name Is a Story.

The story opens with a brown girl named Ashanti in a racially diverse classroom; she wishes that her name was “easy…like recess, sunshine, and skipping rocks.” Instead, she finds that her name is “a spelling bee for my teacher and jumbled puzzle pieces on my classmates’ tongues.”

Ultimately, the little girl “learns to love her unique name.”

What are your thoughts on the baby name Ashanti?

P.S. The name first entered the girls’ top 1,000 in 1979 thanks to the movie Ashanti (1979) starring Michael Caine and Beverly Johnson.

Sources:

Where did the baby name Tarralyn come from in 2004?

Contestant Tarralyn Ramsey on the singing competition "Born to Diva" (2003)
Tarralyn Ramsey on “Born to Diva

The name Tarralyn popped up in the U.S. baby name data for the first and only time in the early 2000s:

  • 2006: unlisted
  • 2005: unlisted
  • 2004: 5 baby girls named Tarralyn [debut]
  • 2003: unlisted
  • 2002: unlisted

Similar names like Taralyn and Taralynn were most popular during the ’80s…so why did the spelling Tarralyn suddenly emerge in 2004?

Because of singer Tarralyn Ramsey, the winner of VH1’s single-season singing competition Born to Diva, which aired from April to May, 2003.

Five of the eight episodes consisted of auditions held in each of five cities: Miami, New York, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and London. The city-wide winners (Tomey Sellars, Sasha Allen, Tarralyn Ramsey, Towanda Cofield, and Eno Uffort, respectively) then attended a week-long “Diva Boot Camp” in NYC. Finally, music executives whittled the field down to three finalists: Tomey, Tarralyn, and Towanda.

Online voting for the winner will begin on May 11 and will conclude during the opening moments of VH1’s live “VH1 Divas Duets” special on Thursday, May 22. A few minutes later, all of America — including the three finalists themselves — will learn the name of music’s next superstar Diva, who will then perform a song live onstage.

At the Diva Duets concert, which took place at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Tarralyn got the chance to sing alongside headliners such as Whitney Houston, Beyoncé, Jewel, Chaka Khan, and Ashanti.

After the win, Tarralyn was featured in magazines like People, Seventeen, Ebony, and Jet. This print coverage would have helped draw attention to the specific spelling of her name.

What are your thoughts on the name Tarralyn? (Which spelling do you prefer?)

Sources: Born to Diva – VH1.com, About – Tarralyn Ramsey, Tarralyn Ramsey – Wikipedia, VH1 is Born to Diva – Daily Double, SSA

Image: Screenshot of Born to Diva