Asher
Say it: ASH-er/ˈæ.ʃə(ɹ)/
BoyMeans happy, blessed5 letters2 syllables
#211
in Ireland (2025)
#210 with spellings combined
22
babies in 2025
#210
best rank (2025)
144
babies since 2009
Up 166
10-year rank change
Asher through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22 | #210 |
| 2024 | 20 | #220 |
| 2023 | 12 | #319 |
| 2022 | 19 | #242 |
| 2021 | 12 | #328 |
| 2020 | 11 | #350 |
| 2019 | 9 | #389 |
| 2018 | 5 | #543 |
| 2017 | 7 | #443 |
| 2016 | 6 | #491 |
| 2015 | 10 | #376 |
| 2014 | 4 | #609 |
| 2010 | 3 | #720 |
| 2009 | 4 | #604 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Asher mean?
Happy, blessed
Hebrew, the name of one of the sons of Jacob in the Book of Genesis.
Say it right
ASHer
The story of Asher
Asher comes from Hebrew and is usually explained as “happy” or “blessed”. In the Book of Genesis, Asher is the eighth son of Jacob. When he is born, Leah says that she is happy and that other women will call her happy, and the name is given to match. His descendants became one of the twelve tribes of Israel.
There is also an unrelated English surname Asher, which may come from a word for someone who made ash or lived by ash trees. As a first name, though, it mostly follows the Bible, like Levi and Reuben.
Asher is a newcomer in Ireland. It first reached the CSO list in 2009 and has grown since then, with its best year so far in 2025: 22 boys, putting it at number 210. It is a little stronger in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 125 in 2024.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Asher (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Asher
- Wikipedia: Asher (name)
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, First Forenames Given to Babies Registered in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Asher | 22 | 144 |
In Northern Ireland
#149 in 2025 with 15 babies. Best rank #125 (2024); 96 babies since 2010.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.