Asa

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Asa

Gender: Masculine
Language: English
Etymology:
Asa is a Hebrew name meaning “Doctor.”
-or-
Åsa, another name spelled practically the same way, is a Scandinavian female name, short for names like Astrid and Aslög, where “ass” means “god.” The Norwegian and Danish form is Åse.

History:
Asa, a Biblical name, is found in II Chronicles as a king of Judah. Its most commonly found among those of the Jewish faith as well as 17th century English Puritans. The Puritans, having rejected the vast collection of saintly, Catholic names, were in need of a replacement naming pool. They found it in the hundreds of minor people mentioned in the Bible.

Along with other, fairly rare, Biblical names, Asa declined through the 19th century, but it never quite disappeared.

Pronunciation: ay-sah.

Famous Bearers:
Educators, Scholar, and Social Workers:
Asa Philip Randolph (1889-1979)
American labor leader and social activist.
Asa Briggs (1921-)
British historian.

Miscellaneous:
Asa Whitney (1797-1872)
American merchant.
Asa Griggs Candler (1851-1929)
An early manufacturer of Coca-Cola and mayor of Atlanta.

Religious Figures:
Asa
A king of Judah from c. 913 to 873 BC.

Scientists:
Asa Whitney (1791-1874)
American inventor.
Asa Gray (1810-1888)
American botanist.

Singers and Entertainers:
Asa Hutchinson (1823-1884)
A popular 19th century singer.

Popularity:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.004 % named Asa

Popularity of Asa:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 72nd most popular.
1850: 208th most popular.
1875: 238th most popular.
1880: 200th most popular.
1881: 178th most popular.
1882: 205th most popular.
1883: 193rd most popular.
1884: 259th most popular.
1885: 251st most popular.
1886: 233rd most popular.
1887: 221st most popular.
1888: 230th most popular.
1889: 275th most popular.
1890: 243rd most popular.
1891: 237th most popular.
1892: 232nd most popular.
1893: 266th most popular.
1894: 289th most popular.
1895: 279th most popular.
1896: 331st most popular.
1897: 253rd most popular.
1898: 345th most popular.
1899: 322nd most popular.
1900: 413th most popular.
1901: 371st most popular.
1902: 460th most popular.
1903: 381st most popular.
1904: 430th most popular.
1905: 477th most popular.
1906: 567th most popular.
1907: 351st most popular.
1908: 514th most popular.
1909: 676th most popular.
1910: 511th most popular.
1911: 623rd most popular.
1912: 584th most popular.
1913: 572nd most popular.
1914: 586th most popular.
1915: 531st most popular.
1916: 581st most popular.
1917: 642nd most popular.
1918: 556th most popular.
1919: 653rd most popular.
1920: 616th most popular.
1921: 621st most popular.
1922: 643rd most popular.
1923: 582nd most popular.
1924: 621st most popular.
1925: 689th most popular.
1926: 611th most popular.
1927: 597th most popular.
1928: 656th most popular.
1929: 739th most popular.
1930: 704th most popular.
1931: 748th most popular.
1932: 888th most popular.
1933: 708th most popular.
1934: 682nd most popular.
1935: 754th most popular.
1936: 797th most popular.
1937: 764th most popular.
1938: 795th most popular.
1939: 870th most popular.
1940: 865th most popular.
1941: 818th most popular.
1942: 868th most popular.
1943: 893rd most popular.
1944: 895th most popular.
1945-1946: N/A
1947: 868th most popular.
1948: 913th most popular.
1949: 955th most popular.
1950-1973: N/A
1974: 985th most popular.
1975: N/A
1976: 932nd most popular.
1977: 960th most popular.
1978: 974th most popular.
1979: 875th most popular.
1980: 754th most popular.
1981: 693rd most popular.
1982: 738th most popular.
1983: 720th most popular.
1984: 799th most popular.
1985: 745th most popular.
1986: 911th most popular.
1987: 826th most popular.
1988: 774th most popular.
1989: 732nd most popular.
1990: 830th most popular.
1991: 830th most popular.
1992: 887th most popular.
1993: 888th most popular.
1994: 824th most popular.
1995: 818th most popular.
1996: 865th most popular.
1997: 785th most popular.
1998: 840th most popular.
1999: 707th most popular.
2000: 659th most popular.
2001: 661st most popular.
2002: 688th most popular.
2003: 672nd most popular.
2004: 673rd most popular.

Selected Sources:
A Dictionary of First Names, Hanks and Hodges, 1990
The Penguin Dictionary of First Names, Pickering, 1999

The Social Security Administration Actuarial Note 139 (www.ssa.gov) - For popularity stats 1880-Present
The 1880 U.S. Census- For popularity stats 1850-1880, and other information (it is available on-line at www.familysearch.org)