Asher

In Genesis, when Leah's handmaid gives birth to a son, she cries out, "Happy am I!" — and names him Asher, from the Hebrew word for blessed or happy. It is one of the rare Old Testament names that carries its meaning right on the surface. For centuries Asher lived mostly in Orthodox Jewish households; in the last decade, American parents across every background have pulled it into the mainstream, and it has climbed into the top twenty. Two syllables with a soft sh that slows everything down. Biblical without being austere, modern without feeling trendy. A name that wishes its bearer well from the first breath.