UK boy's name
Asaph
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "gatherer" or "collector".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2019. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Asaph is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Asaph popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2019 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4702, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2010, with 5 births.
This profile covers 20 England and Wales registrations across 6 recorded years from 2009 to 2019. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 60% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 20 living people in the UK are called Asaph. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2020 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Asaph ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales in 2019, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2010, when 5 boys were registered as Asaph.
- • About 20 living people in the UK are estimated to have Asaph as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4702
2019
Births in 2019
3
Latest year
Peak year
2010
5 births
Estimated living
20
2026
Meaning
What does Asaph mean?
The given name Asaph has its origins in the Hebrew language and Hebrew Bible. It is derived from the Hebrew word 'asaph', which means 'to gather' or 'to collect'. The name likely referred to someone who was a gatherer or collector, perhaps of crops or other resources.
In the Hebrew Bible, Asaph was the name of a Levite who was appointed by King David to be one of the principal musicians and leaders of worship in the temple in Jerusalem. He is mentioned in several books of the Bible, including 1 Chronicles and the book of Psalms, where he is credited as the author of twelve psalms.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Asaph is found in the Bible, referring to the Levite musician who lived around 1000 BCE. Another early example is Asaph the Recorder, who was a scribe and keeper of records during the reign of King Hezekiah in the 8th century BCE, as mentioned in 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Asaph. One of the most famous was Asaph the Jew, a 7th-century physician and translator who lived in the Byzantine Empire and was renowned for his contributions to medicine and his translations of Greek medical texts into Arabic.
In the 17th century, Asaph Woodhouse (1619-1695) was an English mathematician and clergyman who made significant contributions to the study of trigonometry and calculus. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society.
Another notable Asaph was Asaph Hall (1829-1907), an American astronomer who is best known for his discovery of the two moons of Mars, Phobos and Deimos, in 1877. He was also a professor at the United States Naval Observatory and played a key role in determining the orbit of the planet Mars.
In the realm of music, Asaph Weisman (1770-1828) was a Polish-Jewish composer and violinist who is considered one of the pioneers of the Polish school of violin playing. He was also a virtuoso performer and composed numerous works for the violin.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who bore the name Asaph throughout history, but there are undoubtedly many others who contributed to various fields and left their mark on the world.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Asaph over time
The chart below shows babies named Asaph registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2009 to 2019. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Asaph, the clearest high point is 2010. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2019, compared with 5 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Asaph by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Asaph was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | #4455 | 17 | 5 |
| 2000s | #4527 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Asaph
- Alfie 86,546
- Alexander 85,525
- Adam 71,855
- Archie 59,965
- Arthur 43,586
- Aaron 36,366
- Alex 32,729
- Andrew 20,169
- Arlo 19,061
- Aidan 16,776
- Albie 16,017
- Albert 15,809
FAQ
Asaph: questions and answers
How popular is the name Asaph in the UK right now?
In 2019, Asaph was ranked #4702 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Asaph most popular?
The peak year on record was 2010, with 5 babies registered as Asaph in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Asaph?
A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning "gatherer" or "collector".
How many people are called Asaph in the UK?
A total of 20 babies have been registered as Asaph across the 6 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.