Dasha

♀ Girl

Pronounced DA-uh /ˈda.ʂə/Medium

Meaning: Russian diminutive of Daria/Darya, ultimately from the Old Persian royal name Darayavahush ('possessing/maintaining good'), the source of Darius.Medium

In 30 seconds: Dasha is a Russian pet form of Daria, tracing back to the Old Persian royal name behind Darius.

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Origin MediumRussian

MeaningRussian diminutive of Daria/Darya, ultimately from the Old Persian royal name Darayavahush ('possessing/maintaining good'), the source of Darius.

U.S. rank (2025)#2128 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births88 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1995

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,133

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Dasha began as an affectionate Russian diminutive of Daria (Darya), a name that ultimately descends from the Old Persian Darayavahush, meaning roughly 'possessing good' and also the source of Darius. That royal Persian root gives the otherwise cozy nickname a long and grand backstory. Across Slavic languages the fuller forms appear as Daria, Darija and Darja.

The two soft syllables make it a natural everyday call-name in Russian-speaking families. Bearers include the businesswoman and art patron Dasha Zhukova and the American singer-songwriter known simply as Dasha.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Dasha is 'possessor of good; wealthy', through its link to Daria and its Persian roots, and that rich idea is part of the name's long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Dasha — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

DaryaDariaDarijaDarjaTarja

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Dasha Zhukova (b. 1981)
Russian-American businesswoman, art collector and philanthropist who founded the contemporary art magazine Garage.
★Dasha (Anna Dasha Novotny) (b. 2000)
American country-pop singer-songwriter known professionally by the mononym Dasha, whose 2024 song Austin reached the Billboard Hot 100.

If you like Dasha…

Daria— The full name that Dasha is a Russian diminutive of

Darius— The masculine name from the same Old Persian royal root

Misha— a fellow Russian choice

Sasha— shares Dasha's Russian roots

Darya— another Russian name

Explore names like Dasha

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Dasha mean?

Dasha means 'possessor of good; wealthy'. It is a Russian diminutive of Daria, a name that ultimately comes from Persian, and is most often linked with Russian tradition.

How do you pronounce Dasha?

It's commonly said DA-uh /ˈda.ʂə/.

Is Dasha a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Dasha is used as a girl name.

How popular is Dasha?

In 2024, Dasha ranked #1849 in the U.S. for girls, with 108 births recorded.