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Natasha

Girl name · 3,775 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Natasha: 3,775 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 221 births in 1991.

A classic Russian name, Natasha began as a pet form of Natalya, which itself comes from the Latin *Natalia*—meaning "birthday," a reference to the feast of the Nativity. It was popularised across Europe and beyond by Tolstoy's spirited and tender heroine Natasha Rostova in *War and Peace*, and later by the British actress Natasha Richardson, known for her stage and screen work. The name has a strong Scottish presence too, regularly appearing in baby name charts since the 1970s. While no major places are named after a Natasha, the root *Natalia* gave rise to the place-name Natal in South Africa—though that connection is indirect. A shorter spin-off, Tasha, has also found its own quiet popularity. Natasha carries a warm, international feel, equally at home in a Russian novel or a modern Scottish nursery.