Find out how popular the first name Asaph has been for the last 36 years (from 1988 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Asaph by gender

Based on the last 36 years of data, Asaph is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 28 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Asaph.

The history of the first name Asaph

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.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Asaph was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Asaph, please contact us.

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