Ash
Ash is both a given name and a surname. It may be a shortened version of Ashton, Ashley, Asher, and Ashlyn. The name is gender neutral.
Meaning & Origin of Ash
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ash is both a given name and a surname. It may be a shortened version of Ashton, Ashley, Asher, and Ashlyn. The name is gender neutral.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Ash
As a girl name
Ash first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1990, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2024, when 21 Ashs were born — ranking #5,778 that year. As of 2026, Ash ranks #5,729 for girls with 21 births, rising sharply (+107% over the past five years). In total, more than 168 Ashs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Ash first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1975, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 204 Ashs were born — ranking #1,064 that year. As of 2026, Ash ranks #1,122 for boys with 192 births, rising sharply (+23% over the past five years). In total, more than 3K Ashs have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Ash
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Ash Ambihaipahar , Australian politician
- Ash Amin (born 1955), British geographer
- Ash Atalla (born 1972), British television producer
- Ash Baron-Cohen (born 1967), British film director, usually credited as "Ash"
- Ashleigh Barty (born 1996), Australian tennis player
- Ash Bowie (born c. 1968 ), American indie musician
- Ash Carter (1954–2022), American physicist, professor, and former U.S. Secretary of Defense
- Ash Gordon , American singer-songwriter
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Ash
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ash is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Ash
What does the name Ash mean?
How popular is Ash in 2026?
When was Ash most popular?
In which U.S. states is Ash most popular?
Is Ash a unisex name?
What names go well with Ash?
About the name Ash
Ash is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1975 and has accumulated 3K births in the dataset. Ash's peak popularity came in 2023 when it ranked #1,064. Use the chart and map above to compare Ash's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2023 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "A" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.