Asa or Asher?

[GiveMeVegemite]

Thoughts please!

My husband and I like both these names for our soon-to-be-son.

I have a slight preference towards Asher and he likes Asa a bit better....

[mynameisnotmichaelcaine]

Oooh, I never thought I'd suffer the ignominy of having one of my kids' names associated with being, as we say delicately, "downmarket". I am feeling decidedly Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells about it. I am distinctly middle class (much as I tried to fight against this as a reactionary teen) as are all of the other families with Ashers that I know of.

Asher has been widely used by the Jewish community for decades, although it's fair to say it's only more recently become more widespread. However, I see it as part of the same trend which has led to Elijah, Eli, Isaac, Reuben etc becoming popular, none of which were used outside of the Jewish community when I was young.

[Bowlersarm]

I know A LOT of dogs-never heard of an Asa as a dogs name before. However, dogs can be called, and are called, anything at all. It's not a dogs name. Well no more than any other baby's name at the moment

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

Btw not bye

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

Not my opinion bye, just knew 2 dogs called that.

[DrinkFeckArseGirls]

Asa is a dog's name.

[UpTheFRIGGinDuff]

Asa!

[MothershipG]

Thank goodness someone else mentioned Asa Briggs Lottie! I was starting to think I was the only one to have that association, great name, go with Asa!

[GiveMeVegemite]

We are not religious, but they are actually both names from the bible! Asher was the 8th son of Jacob and Asa was the king of Judah.
Both names were very prominent in the 19th century, especially with the puritans and kind of lost popularity towards the start if the 20th century apparently.

[lottiegarbanzo]

For me it's about sound and associations. Asa - Asa Briggs, eminent historian. Asher - Asher D, rapper turned actor (really called Ashley).

I've only heard of anyone called Asher in the last 20 years, though it's biblical isn't it. I thought it might have superseded Ashley, as a nn and trendier version, also as Ashley's become more feminine.

[galwaygirl]

That's an accent on the first a! And the pronunciation is totally different to Asa

[galwaygirl]

Asher is less complicated than Asa imo as the pronunciation is obvious and it's more obviously male.
Åsa (accent on the a) is a fairly common girls name in Scandinavia.

[Sunnysummer]

Agree that in some areas Asher is likely to lead people to form some instant opinions - also, in my area Asher would also probably be a girl.

Asa, on the other hand, is too rare for prejudices and too short to sound snooty, plus Ace is an awesome nickname!

[GiveMeVegemite]

bowler cool, that's the right pronunciation.

[Bowlersarm]

I would pronounce it Acer

[GiveMeVegemite]

Geeze, so interesting how people perceive names.

I thought Asa was pronounced Ass-a, which I obviously wasnt keen on, but once my husband told me the pronunciation I really liked it too.

I am pretty torn still though!

[lottiegarbanzo]

I perceive them very differently, despite sounding similar. Asa does indeed pass the high court judge test, Asher does not (but who knows in forty years time). Asher sounds trendy and urban, Asa classic and self-possessed.

[DontSHOUTTTTTT]

I would not have known how to pronounce Asa and I wouldn't have known if it were a boys or girls name. It sounds nice though.

[GiveMeVegemite]

Seems pretty evenly divided! I must admit I do liken the nickname Ash better than Ace though!

Asa is pronounced Aye-suh

[mynameisnotmichaelcaine]

Mewkins, Asha is the feminine spelling. The boys' name is spelt with an "er" ending.

[thermalsinapril]

Asher

[OkayHazel]

My friend Asa is a postman. Lovely name!

[CurryChip]

I adore the name Asa mewkins its pronounced Ay sah. It's on my list should I have a boy. It makes me think of Asa Butterfield who played the boy in the striped pyjamas. Asher sounds like someone sneezing.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Love, love, love Asher. Don't like Asa.