Ashanti
Ashanti is a name with a single cultural origin: Various.
- Various
Meaning & Origin of Ashanti
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Ashanti is a name with a single cultural origin: Various.
Origin data from Behind the Name .
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Various
The Story of Ashanti
As a girl name
Ashanti first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1970, with 14 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2002: 2,946 births, good for #115 nationwide. The 2000s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 51% of all recorded Ashantis. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,866 among girl names with 107 births, falling sharply (-19%). In total, more than 13K Ashantis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
The earliest SSA record of Ashanti as a boy name dates back to 1970, when 14 babies received it. 1979 was its biggest year on record, with 40 newborns named Ashanti — #1,487 in the national rankings. The 1990s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 37% of all recorded Ashantis. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2019 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 767 Ashantis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1970s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Ashanti
Phonetically similar names — useful when Ashanti 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 Ashanti
What does the name Ashanti mean?
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How popular is Ashanti in 2026?
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Is Ashanti a unisex name?
What names go well with Ashanti?
About the name Ashanti
Ashanti is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1970 and has accumulated 13K births in the dataset. Ashanti's peak popularity came in 2002 when it ranked #115. Use the chart and map above to compare Ashanti's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2002 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "A" →
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- 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.