Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Rasta as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Rasta

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Rasta is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈrɑːstə/ (RAH-stah or RAS-tuh).

Rasta is Amharic in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: Amharic
Pronunciation: /ˈrɑːstə/ (RAH-stah or RAS-tuh)

What is the meaning of the name Rasta ?

The baby name Rasta is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈrɑːstə/ (RAH-stah or RAS-tuh).

Rasta is Amharic in Origin.

Rasta is a modern given name shaped by Amharic and Afro-Caribbean influences. Linguistically it contracts Rastafari, the name of the Jamaican religious movement honoring Ras Tafari - Haile Selassie I - whose title Ras means “head, chief, prince” and whose given name Tafari is interpreted as “one who inspires awe/respect.” As a standalone name, Rasta therefore carries connotations of leadership, reverence, and spiritual dignity rooted in Ethiopian royal terminology.

Usage as a personal name is rare but visible from the late 20th century onward, especially in Jamaica, the Caribbean diaspora, and reggae-influenced communities; it is typically masculine but can be unisex. Because it evokes a living faith and culture, families may choose it with cultural sensitivity. Related forms include Tafari (direct source), Ras (the honorific), and Rastafari (the full term). Unrelated but phonetically similar are Slavic nicknames Rasta for Rastko/Rastislav, from a root meaning “to grow.”

Rasta has the following similar or variant Names

Rasta – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
SV Boys 0 #28 1 352
BN 0 #32 1 2,297
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
MV Girls 0 #35 1 2,021
JM 0 #77 11 3,714
BG 0 #82 1 1,799
SD 0 #102 1 2,130
BN Girls 0 #114 1 5,459
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
BW Boys 0 #129 21 4,685
CY Boys 0 #131 1 3,473
BN Boys 0 #135 5 6,332
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
PA 0 #137 2 3,797
BW Girls 0 #150 2 4,216
LT Boys 0 #151 1 2,166
RS Boys 0 #153 2 2,277
HU Boys 0 #174 1 3,954
MT Boys 0 #174 6 4,064
PR Boys 0 #177 2 2,508
AE 0 #187 1 10,220
AR 0 #193 1 2,915
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
NA Boys 0 #212 24 6,830
JM Boys 0 #219 54 6,876
LU Boys 0 #219 2 4,970
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
GH 0 #244 5 5,396
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
JM Girls 0 #247 13 7,507
AO Boys 0 #249 1 5,568
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
PT 0 #249 2 4,161
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
HR Boys 0 #257 3 3,997
NG 0 #272 1 5,926
Canada Girls 2020 #279 5 2,919
SG 0 #281 2 11,010
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
TW Girls 0 #289 1 8,139
CZ Boys 0 #295 10 6,530
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
SD Boys 0 #302 150 10,523
GH Boys 0 #309 37 8,138
SA 0 #311 2 10,560
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
DK Boys 0 #330 3 7,401
PL Boys 0 #332 9 6,459
MU Boys 0 #333 25 8,477
GT 0 #335 4 5,948
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
MY 0 #348 7 12,352
SD Girls 0 #355 4 7,678
PT Boys 0 #380 2 7,951
JO Boys 0 #388 2 7,057
YE 0 #397 2 8,639
PH Boys 0 #401 8 11,440
UY Boys 0 #407 7 5,922
OM Girls 0 #423 2 15,987
PH Girls 0 #427 3 13,098
ZA 0 #438 10 14,421
MX 0 #442 4 8,339
CR Boys 0 #456 32 10,188
PA Boys 0 #464 18 9,305
AR Boys 0 #479 5 7,628
RU Boys 0 #488 18 12,621
GT Boys 0 #493 7 7,625
LY 0 #516 20 12,703
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
IR Girls 0 #521 10 8,334
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
PS Boys 0 #528 21 10,655
UY Girls 0 #536 1 6,731
IR Boys 0 #540 13 10,162
PS Girls 0 #546 2 10,981
HK Boys 0 #556 2 12,905
KW Girls 0 #561 1 19,177
CR Girls 0 #573 1 11,342
CM Boys 0 #574 2 12,054
BH 0 #582 6 17,937
AE Girls 0 #591 7 20,968
IL Boys 0 #594 14 10,983
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
BO Boys 0 #620 3 9,244
SG Girls 0 #626 7 18,916
AR Girls 0 #629 2 8,289
IL Girls 0 #643 3 11,648
CL Boys 0 #645 21 13,390
HK Girls 0 #649 2 16,104
ZA Boys 0 #673 599 25,619
SG Boys 0 #683 15 17,960
LB 0 #689 2 13,263
QA Boys 0 #692 16 18,093
IQ Boys 0 #696 2 13,071
KW Boys 0 #760 10 18,755
SY 0 #767 1 11,684
BR Boys 0 #785 1 12,213
NG Girls 0 #826 1 15,093
NL Boys 0 #841 111 5,873
OM Boys 0 #855 27 17,948
PE Boys 0 #859 20 14,506
TN 0 #861 5 13,765
EG Boys 0 #862 25 15,035
CO Boys 0 #865 56 15,656
MY Boys 0 #875 238 25,439
Spain Boys 0 #892 39 5,610
United States Girls 2024 #912 5 8,487
CL Girls 0 #914 2 14,098
Germany Boys 0 #934 19 5,697
MX Boys 0 #950 33 16,355
MY Girls 0 #979 16 24,821
NG Boys 0 #993 9 16,906
EG Girls 0 #1,007 3 14,742
PE Girls 0 #1,010 1 14,861
SA Girls 0 #1,012 3 25,931
IN Boys 0 #1,036 4 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,066 27 22,615
ZA Girls 0 #1,111 31 25,928
DZ 0 #1,139 38 20,130
CO Girls 0 #1,149 4 16,140
MA 0 #1,196 4 20,986
TR 0 #1,199 13 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,261 7 17,781
IT Boys 0 #1,373 99 10,046
IT Girls 0 #1,434 13 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,534 81 28,008

Rasta is popular in 76 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
AE
AO
AR
BD

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Rasta

Rasta is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Rasta is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈrɑːstə/ (RAH-stah or RAS-tuh).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Rastafari, Rastafarian, Ras Tafari, Ras and Tafari.
Across languages, Rasta has these equivalents: Ras (Ethiopian title), Tafari (Ethiopian name), Rastafari (movement name), Rex (Latin, 'king'), Raja (Sanskrit, 'king'), and 2 more.
Yes — Rasta ranked #279 in Canada in 2020, and appears in official birth registries across 2 countries.
Rasta ranks highest in Canada (#279 in 2020).