Short, modern and in charge of history, this name of Slavic origin conquered the French families. Behind its apparent sweetness hides a strong meaning: the “defense of humanity”.
A heritage from Russia
Greek from Greek Alexein (“push, defend”) and andros (“Man”), Sacha has established himself as a Russian form of Alexander. First popularized in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, he found his place in France from the 1960s, notably thanks to the brilliance of the playwright and actor Sacha Guitry. Long remained in the shadow of Alexander, largely dominant between 1982 and 2002, he gradually gained independent and is now asserting himself as a choice in its own right.
A solid place in the French list
In 2025, this first name appeared at 13ᵉ rank of the national top 20, alongside Gabriel, Raphaël and Léo. Since the year 2000, he rose to the 30ᵉ position of the most attributed male first names in France, with nearly one boy on 135 who is currently wearing it. In total, around 64,000 French people carried it in 2025. In the capital, it also remains prized, occupying the 19ᵉ place of male first names declared in Paris in 2023.
An international resonance and a mixed variant
If this first name is male in 95 % of cases in France, its English variant Sasha Feminizes more, especially in English -speaking countries. Popularized in the 1930s by the novel Orlando From Virginia Woolf, this spelling is also of some success in Wallonia and Switzerland. In Quebec, however, the first name is still confidential.
A cultural and artistic aura
Over the decades, several personalities have contributed to his reputation: the actor and director Sacha Guitry, the singer Sacha Distel, or the British humorist Sacha Baron Cohen. All reinforced the image of a first name associated with creativity, originality and energy.