About the name Ashoka
Ashoka turned from a conqueror sickened by the Kalinga war into the patron who carved the Dhamma onto pillars across the subcontinent, and his lion capital still sits at the centre of India's national emblem. The everyday Hindu form Ashok is far more common today and reads as a solidly mid-century Indian man's name.
Ashoka is a boy name of Sanskrit origin, pronounced ah-SHOH-kah. On the NameRarity scale it scores 86 out of 100, which places it in the very rare band — a genuinely uncommon pick — most people have never met anyone with this name. Its strongest period was the classical era.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Ashoka?
Ashoka currently falls outside the US top 1,000, which is a large part of why it scores so highly for rarity. Roughly 3.6 people per million carry it — about 1 in 277,778. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Ashoka
- Ashok Kumarpioneering Indian film actor of the 1940s and 50s
- AshokaMauryan emperor who spread Buddhism across Asia in the 3rd century BCE
Spellings and variants of Ashoka
Names similar to Ashoka
Avyaan
uv-YAHN
Flawless, without imperfection; an epithet of Vishnu
Ambika
AHM-bee-kah
Little mother, an epithet of Durga in the Devi Mahatmya
Axika
AK-see-kaa
Imperishable, one who does not fade
Ahaan
uh-HAHN
Dawn, the break of day; also unstoppable
Anant
uh-NUNT
Endless, without limit
Ankit
UN-kit
Marked, inscribed with a sign of fortune
Ashish
uh-SHEESH
Blessing, a prayer for good fortune
Aashika
aa-SHEE-kaa
One who is dearly loved
Ashoka — frequently asked questions
What does the name Ashoka mean?
Ashoka means "Without sorrow, also the emperor who spread the Dhamma". It is a name of Sanskrit origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Ashoka?
Ashoka is pronounced ah-SHOH-kah, with 3 syllables.
How rare is the name Ashoka?
Ashoka scores 86 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it very rare. Roughly 1 in every 277,778 people carry it — about 3.6 per million.
What is the numerology number for Ashoka?
Ashoka carries the expression number 1, known as The Pioneer. Its soul urge number is 8 and its personality number is 11.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Ashoka?
The lucky number for Ashoka is 1 (with 10, 19, 28 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Sunlit Gold. The traditional lucky day is Sunday and the associated gemstone is Ruby.