Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Nash

Nash is the transferred use of an English surname. The name originated from the Middle English phrase “atten ash” meaning “at the ash tree”. It developed as a location-based or topographical surname to describe a person who lived at or near an ash tree. In ancient Norse, Germanic and Celtic cultures, the ash tree was highly regarded and believed to hold magical powers. In Norse mythology, the first man created by the gods was formed from an ash tree. The Celts, impressed with its massive size and multi-purpose use, associated the ash tree with power, expansion and scale. Its girth, height, and deeply complex root system were all metaphors for the spiritually minded Celtic people. In both Norse/Viking and Celtic folklore, the ash tree was mainly a symbol of protectiveness. Like a gentle giant, the ash tree was also a guardian of children and a healing agent for childhood illnesses. The phrase “atten ash” developed into several surnames due to the high level of illiteracy in medieval times and the multitude of dialects producing different sounds (one of the first recorded renderings was “Ate Nasse” in the late 13th century). The usage of Nash as a masculine forename is pretty modern and mainly restricted to North America and Australia.

All About the Baby Name – Nash

Personality

OF THE BOY NAME NASH

Romance is the hallmark of the Six personality. They exude nurturing, loving, and caring energy. Sixes are in love with the idea of love in its idealized form - and with their magnetic personalities, they easily draw people toward them. Like the number Two personality, they seek balance and harmony in their life and the world at large. They are conscientious and service-oriented, and a champion for the underdog. These personalities naturally attract money and are usually surrounded by lovely material objects - but their human relationships are always primary. They thrive in giving back to others rather than being motivated by their own desires. This is when they achieve great things. Sixes are natural teachers, ministers and counselors.

Popularity

OF THE BOY NAME NASH

Nash first appeared on the American male naming charts in 1997, obviously influenced by a popular TV police drama called “Nash Bridges” (1996-2001) starring Don Johnson and Cheech Marin. As a result, the name Nash saw a sudden (but mild) jolt on the charts and then appeared to retreat again. It got another tiny push up the charts by mathematic enthusiasts around the year 2001 when the critically acclaimed film “A Beautiful Mind” was released about a paranoid schizophrenic math genius named John Forbes Nash, Jr. Of course there’s also Steve Nash the superstar basketball player or Graham Nash the 60s era hippie musician. In any case, this simple one-syllable surname-turned-first-name has been trending upwards in the past seven years at least. We also think this may have to do with an emerging trend favoring names with literary cachet; in this case Nash may be a nod to poet Ogden Nash, a prolific author of offbeat and comic verse. Lastly, Nash could be used as a quasi-place name in honor of the country music mecca Nashville, Tennessee. Whatever the reason behind the growing interest in this boy’s name, Nash is doing okay on the charts today. It’s a rather understated and “dash”ing choice for a baby boy and matures nicely into adulthood. Beware of some childish jokes such as Nash the Rash or Nash potatoes.

Quick Facts

ON NASH

GENDER:

Boy

ORIGIN:

English

NUMBER OF SYLLABLES:

1

RANKING POPULARITY:

464

PRONUNCIATION:

NASH

SIMPLE MEANING:

At the ash tree

Characteristics

OF NASH

Humanitarian

Community-minded

Family-oriented

Loving

Affectionate

Compassionate

Sensitive

Cultural References to the Baby Name – Nash

Literary Characters

OF THE BABY NAME NASH

We cannot find any significant literary characters by the name of Nash

Childrens Books

ON THE BABY NAME NASH

We cannot find any childrens books with the first name Nash


Popular Songs

ON NASH

We cannot find any popular or well-known songs with the name of Nash


Famous People

NAMED NASH

Roger "Nash" Baldwin (one of the founders of the ACLU)

Children of Famous People

NAMED NASH

We cannot find any children of famous people with the first name Nash

Historic Figures

WITH THE NAME NASH

We cannot find any historically significant people with the first name Nash