Asta is traditionally a Scandinavian girls' name, a short form of Astrid that means "divine beauty" or "beloved". Its recent use for American boys comes from a different source: Asta is the hot-headed hero of the Japanese manga and anime series Black Clover. In the United States the name first appeared for boys around 2020 and has climbed every year since, reaching number 2838 in 2025 with 44 births.