UK boy's name
Ashur
A masculine name of Mesopotamian origin meaning "water meadow".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2004. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Ashur is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Ashur popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2004 in this profile. In that release it ranked #3651, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2002, with 4 births.
This profile covers 7 England and Wales registrations across 2 recorded years from 2002 to 2004. 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 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 7 living people in the UK are called Ashur. 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 2005 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Ashur ranked #3651 for boys in England and Wales in 2004, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2002, when 4 boys were registered as Ashur.
- • About 7 living people in the UK are estimated to have Ashur as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#3651
2004
Births in 2004
3
Latest year
Peak year
2002
4 births
Estimated living
7
2026
Meaning
What does Ashur mean?
The name Ashur originates from the Assyrian language and culture, dating back to ancient Mesopotamia. It is derived from the Akkadian word "Ashshur," which was the name of the principal deity in the Assyrian pantheon and the city that served as the capital of the Assyrian Empire.
Ashur was a significant figure in Mesopotamian mythology and was often depicted as a winged disk or a warrior wielding weapons. The name appears in numerous ancient Assyrian texts, inscriptions, and religious scriptures, reflecting its deep-rooted significance in the region.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Ashur was Ashur-uballit I, an Assyrian king who reigned from around 1365 BCE to 1330 BCE. He is credited with reviving the Assyrian Empire and expanding its territories through military campaigns.
Another notable figure was Ashur-bel-kala, an Assyrian king who ruled from around 1073 BCE to 1056 BCE. He is known for his successful military campaigns and for strengthening the Assyrian Empire's influence in the region.
In the 9th century BCE, Ashur-nasir-pal II, an Assyrian king who reigned from 883 BCE to 859 BCE, was renowned for his military conquests and the construction of a magnificent palace in the city of Kalhu (modern-day Nimrud).
During the reign of Ashurbanipal, who ruled the Assyrian Empire from 668 BCE to 627 BCE, the empire reached its zenith. Ashurbanipal was a great patron of learning and amassed an extensive collection of cuneiform tablets, which have provided invaluable insights into the history, literature, and culture of ancient Mesopotamia.
In later periods, the name Ashur continued to be used, albeit less frequently. One notable individual was Ashur Barnstein, a 15th-century Jewish philosopher and theologian who lived in the city of Seville, Spain.
The enduring legacy of the name Ashur is a testament to the profound influence of the Assyrian civilization on the cultural and linguistic landscape of the ancient Near East. Its rich history and associations with mythological figures, kings, and scholars have contributed to its lasting significance.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Ashur over time
The chart below shows babies named Ashur registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2002 to 2004. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Ashur, the clearest high point is 2002. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2004, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Ashur by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Ashur 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | #3144 | 7 | 2 |
Related
Names similar to Ashur
- 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
Ashur: questions and answers
How popular is the name Ashur in the UK right now?
In 2004, Ashur was ranked #3651 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Ashur most popular?
The peak year on record was 2002, with 4 babies registered as Ashur in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Ashur?
A masculine name of Mesopotamian origin meaning "water meadow".
How many people are called Ashur in the UK?
A total of 7 babies have been registered as Ashur across the 2 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.