Sasha
SA-shuh
Sasha is a Russian and Eastern Slavic diminutive of Alexandra or Alexander, ultimately from the Greek Alexandros, meaning “defender of men,” combining alexein (“to defend”) and aner (“man”).
As a standalone name it spread from Russian to broader European and American use.
In Russian culture, Sasha is a gender-neutral nickname used for both boys named Alexander and girls named Alexandra. When it entered Western naming, it became associated more strongly with girls in the English-speaking world.
What the name Sasha means
Sasha peaked in the US at No. 147 in 1988 with 1,886 births. In 2024 it ranks No. 642 with 460 births, having fallen considerably from its late-80s high.
Sasha Obama (born 2001), younger daughter of President Barack Obama, kept the name in public awareness through the 2009-2017 period. Ballet dancer Sasha Cohen (born 1984) was another prominent bearer in the early 2000s.
Two syllables—SAH-shuh—are soft and accessible. The name has a warm, slightly exotic quality for English speakers while being easy to pronounce and spell correctly on the first attempt.
Parents drawn to Sasha often want a name that signals Eastern European or cosmopolitan roots, carries no formality burden, and works well across multiple cultures without translation.
Related forms include Shura (alternate Russian diminutive), Sanya (another Russian diminutive of Alexander), Sacha (French spelling), and the formal Alexandra or Alexander from which all these derive.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Sasha
Sasha - similar names
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