UK name, mostly girls
Sasha
A diminutive form of the feminine Russian name Alexandra, derived from the Greek meaning "defender of man".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Sasha is mostly registered for girls in the UK records. People looking for Sasha popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #776, with 48 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1999, with 427 births.
This profile covers 6,228 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, NRS Scotland and NISRA Northern Ireland, 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 11% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 6,893 living people in the UK are called Sasha. 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 2025 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Sasha ranked #776 for girls in England and Wales in 2024, with 48 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1999, when 427 girls were registered as Sasha.
- • Sasha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #354 in 2022.
- • About 6,893 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sasha as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
- • Across the England and Wales records shown here, 93.6% of Sasha registrations are for girls.
Latest rank (E&W)
#776
2024
Births in 2024
48
Latest year
Peak year
1999
427 births
Estimated living
6,893
2026
Gender
Boy and girl registrations for Sasha
In England and Wales birth records, Sasha has been registered for both boys and girls. Across the years shown here, 6.4% of registrations are for boys and 93.6% are for girls.
These figures use the sex categories in the published baby-name files. They are useful for spotting how the name is used at registration, but they are not a live measure of gender identity or everyone living with the name today.
Sasha registered for boys
- Ranked #1,108 in 2024
- 26 boys registered in 2024
- Peak: 2024 (26 births)
Sasha registered for girls
- Ranked #776 in 2024
- 48 girls registered in 2024
- Peak: 1999 (427 births)
Meaning
What does Sasha mean?
The name Sasha has its roots in the Russian language and dates back to the late 19th century. It is a diminutive form of the Russian name Aleksandr, which is derived from the Greek name Alexandros, meaning "defender of men." The name Sasha gained popularity in Russia and other Slavic countries as a shortened version of Aleksandr.
In ancient times, the name Alexandros was borne by several notable historical figures, including Alexander the Great, the famous Macedonian king and conqueror who lived from 356 BC to 323 BC. He is one of the most celebrated military leaders in history, and his name has been widely used across cultures and languages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sasha can be found in the works of renowned Russian writers, such as Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky, who featured characters with this name in their literary works during the 19th century.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the name Sasha. One of the most famous was Sasha Cherny, a Russian-born artist and political cartoonist who lived from 1880 to 1932. His satirical artwork and biting commentary on social and political issues made him a prominent figure in the early 20th century.
Another notable figure was Sasha Kropotkin, a Russian princess and revolutionary who lived from 1856 to 1920. She was a leading advocate for anarchist and feminist ideals and played a significant role in the Russian revolutionary movement.
In the world of sports, Sasha Gritchin was a Soviet gymnast who competed in the 1952 and 1956 Olympic Games, winning multiple medals for the Soviet Union.
Sasha Mitchell, born in 1967, is an American actress and filmmaker known for her roles in various television series and movies, including "Being Human" and "Dharma & Greg."
It is worth noting that while the name Sasha has traditionally been more common in Slavic cultures, it has gained popularity in other parts of the world as well, particularly as a unisex name in recent decades.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Sasha over time
The chart below compares boys and girls registered as Sasha in England and Wales, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Sasha, the clearest high point is 1999. The latest England and Wales figure is 48 births in 2024, compared with 427 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sasha by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sasha 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #637 | 303 | 5 |
| 2010s | #377 | 1,373 | 10 |
| 2000s | #164 | 3,107 | 10 |
| 1990s | #130 | 1,445 | 4 |
Geography
Where Sasha is most common
The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sasha. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.
Sasha ranks best in Northern Ireland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #354 in 2022.
Across the UK
Sasha in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Scotland (NRS)
#418 in 2022
47 years of NRS records, 495 total registered
Northern Ireland (NISRA)
#354 in 2022
21 years of NISRA records, 214 total registered
Notable bearers
Famous people named Sasha
-
Sasha Pardoe
sport cyclist
British cyclist (born 2006)
2006-
-
Sasha Clare
association football player
2002-
-
Sasha Fear
figure skater; cross country runner; ice dancer
British ice dancer
2002-
-
Sasha Adamson
association football player
English footballer
1997-
-
Sasha Keable
singer-songwriter
British musician
1994-
-
Sasha Jackson
actor; film actor
British actress
1988-
-
Sasha Corbin
netballer
English netball player
1988-
-
Sasha Madyarchyk
amateur wrestler
British wrestler
1984-
Related
Names similar to Sasha
- Sophie 103,803
- Sophia 46,936
- Scarlett 34,261
- Sienna 32,418
- Sofia 29,136
- Sarah 27,961
- Shannon 25,510
- Summer 24,167
- Sara 14,205
- Skye 13,654
- Samantha 12,697
- Stephanie 9,309
FAQ
Sasha: questions and answers
How popular is the name Sasha in the UK right now?
In 2024, Sasha was ranked #776 for girls in England and Wales, with 48 births registered.
When was Sasha most popular?
The peak year on record was 1999, with 427 babies registered as Sasha in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Sasha?
A diminutive form of the feminine Russian name Alexandra, derived from the Greek meaning "defender of man".
How many people are called Sasha in the UK?
A total of 6,228 babies have been registered as Sasha across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 495 more in Scotland and 214 in Northern Ireland.
Where is Sasha most common?
In the latest published local rankings, Sasha ranks best in Northern Ireland, where it placed #354 in 2022. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.
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.