From the Hebrew word אשׁר (asher), meaning "to be happy, blessed, fortunate," the name Asher means just that: "to be happy." Genesis 30:13 gives us an etymological explanation: "And Leah said, 'Happy (בּאשׁרי) am I! For the women will call me happy (אשׁרוני) '; so she named him Asher (אשׁר)."