Sasha (name)

Sasha
Pronunciation /ˈsæʃə/ SASH
/ˈsɑːʃə/ SAH-shə
Gender Unisex
Origin
Word/name Slavic, from Greek
Meaning defender, helper of mankind
Other names
Related names Alexandra, Alexander, Oleksandr(a), Saša, Sascha, Sacha, Sasho, Sasza, Satyana

Sasha is a unisex given name which originated in Eastern and Southern European countries as the shortened version of Alexander and Alexandra. It is also used as a surname, although very rarely. Alternative spellings include: Саша (Sasha – Russian, Serbian), Сашо (Sasho – Bulgarian), Саше (Sashe – Macedonian), Saša (Slovenian, Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian, Czech, Slovak, Latvian, Lithuanian), Sașa (Romanian), Sasza (Polish), Сашко (Sashko – Ukrainian), Sascha (German), Sasja (Swedish), Sacha (Dutch), and שאשא (Sasha – Yiddish and Hebrew).

Usage

This name is especially common in Europe, where it is used by both females and males as a diminutive of Alexandra and Alexander, respectively. Despite its popularity in informal usage, the name is rarely recorded on birth certificates in countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine, as it is considered a diminutive, not a formal name. Exceptions are Croatia, Germany, Serbia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Macedonia and Switzerland.

In French-speaking regions (Belgium, France,[1] and Quebec[2]), Sacha is almost exclusively given to males.[3] In the United States the name is almost exclusively used for girls and ranked number 569 among U.S. baby names in 2014, although it didn't gain popularity until the 1970s.[4]

Notable people bearing this name

A–D

G–O

P–Z

Codenames, stage personas, alter egos

Animals

Fictitious or mythical entities

Legend, myth, and religion

  • Sasha and Zamani, spirits, two stages of time in Central and Eastern African cultures

Fictional animals and creatures

Fictional people

By surname

Surnameless people

Inanimate objects

Similar names

Similar names in various languages include:[5]

  • Albanian: Dasha, Vasha
  • Bosnian: Safiha, Sabiha
  • Croatian: Saša
  • Dutch: Saskia
  • English: Tasha
  • French: Sascha
  • Georgian: Lasha
  • German: Sascha
  • Hindi: Asha, Sashi, Shashi, Shikha
  • Macedonian: Sashka, Sasho
  • Muslim: Salha
  • Nepali: Asha, Aasha, Sashi
  • Persian: Pasha, Rasha
  • Portuguese: Sancha
  • Russian: Саша, Sashka
  • Serbian: Saša
  • Slovenian: Saša
  • Spanish: Sancha
  • Swedish: Sassa
  • Swiss: Sascha
  • Turkish: Saliha, Sabiha

See also

References

  1. "Sasha". Behind the Name.
  2. "Sasha". rrq.gouv.qc.ca.
  3. "Sasha". rrq.gouv.qc.ca.
  4. "Popular Names". Social Security Administration. USA.
  5. First name Sasha – NamepediA, data page about the name Sasha
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