Fun Facts About the Name Asta
- 408 babies named Asta: U.S. records list 408 babies given the name Asta from 1880 through 2025. Even 183 boys received the name Asta.
What Does the Name Asta Mean?
Asta is a Scandinavian feminine name meaning "love." It comes from Old Norse Ásta, a short form of women's compound names beginning with the element Ást-, especially Ástríðr (the source of the name Astrid) and Ásthildr. That first element is Old Norse ást, "love, affection." In a short form like Ásta, the second half of the compound is dropped, so the name carries the sense of the first element alone rather than the meaning of the full compound.
The similarity to Latin astrum and Greek astēr, both of which mean "star," is coincidental for the Norse name; Old Norse ást is not related to those words.
Asta Name History & Origins
Ásta is recorded as a woman's name in medieval Scandinavia. The best-known bearer is Ásta Guðbrandsdóttir, mother of King Olaf II Haraldsson of Norway, later known as Saint Olaf, and, through her later marriage to Sigurd Syr, mother of Harald Hardrada. Her life is described in Snorri Sturluson's Heimskringla and other kings' sagas written in the 13th century about events of the 10th and 11th centuries; these are historical narratives shaped by saga tradition rather than contemporary records.
The name stayed in use in Iceland, where it is still written with the accent as Ásta. In Denmark, Norway, and Sweden it is normally spelled without the accent, Asta. In Denmark it belonged to the silent-film actress Asta Nielsen (1881 - 1972), who was widely known in Europe and is among the most familiar bearers of the name outside Scandinavia.
The name is also found in German-speaking Europe, where it was adopted from Scandinavian use. English-speaking audiences met it as Asta, the dog in Dashiell Hammett's novel The Thin Man (1934) and in the film series based on it. A recent separate use is the male hero Asta in the Japanese manga and anime Black Clover, which first appeared in 2015.
How Popular is the Name Asta?
Asta has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2025. Its best rank was #2,838 in 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,894 | 27 | 0.0017% |
| 2024 | #7,616 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2023 | #11,292 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #12,387 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #13,670 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #16,191 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #16,552 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #17,640 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #17,960 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #10,693 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #16,801 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #16,407 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #12,573 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #12,354 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2001 | #11,121 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #15,306 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #11,643 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1990 | #11,530 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1986 | #7,805 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1981 | #9,205 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #5,675 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #4,945 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #3,792 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1951 | #4,875 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1929 | #4,098 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1927 | #4,864 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1925 | #5,027 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1921 | #5,170 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1918 | #4,328 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #4,131 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1914 | #2,911 | 7 | 0.0009% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,838 | 44 | 0.0026% |
| 2024 | #2,946 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 2023 | #3,421 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 2022 | #3,541 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2021 | #4,794 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2020 | #7,072 | 11 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Asta Shapes Your Personality and Life?
Powerful and complete. You are good intellectually and require several outlets for your energies. You are not a builder but a planner, and you want others to carry out your plans. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Asta's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Asta's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.