How to say it
NASH
/næʃ/
Masculine
Nash
At the ash tree
What it means
An English surname from the Middle English phrase atten ash, 'at the ash tree,' rebracketed as 'a Nash.'
Nash is a locational surname for someone who lived by an ash tree. It comes from the Middle English atten ash, 'at the ash,' which got resplit so the n migrated onto the noun, leaving 'a Nash.' Like other crisp one-syllable surnames, it moved up front as a given name during the surname-first wave. It reads sharp and modern, helped along by figures from poet Ogden Nash to point guard Steve Nash. Pairs well with Knox, Beckett, and Tate.
Popularity over time
peaked at #233 in 2021, currently #255 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
A 'rebracketed' surname: atten ash, 'at the ash tree,' slid into a Nash over time.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Steve Nash two-time NBA MVP point guard
- Ogden Nash American poet known for light, witty verse
- John Nash Nobel-winning mathematician portrayed in A Beautiful Mind
Spelling variants
- Nashe
Names with the same feeling
See Nash from another angle
By meaning
By style