Meaning & History
Staša is a feminine diminutive form of Anastasija or Stanislava in Croatian, Serbian, and Slovene. It is used as a given name in its own right in these South Slavic languages.
Etymology
The name can derive from the Greek name Anastasia, meaning 'resurrection' (from anastasis), via its Slavic forms like Anastasija and Anastazija. Alternatively, it may come from the Slavic name Stanislava, which is composed from the elements stan 'to become' and slav 'glory'. The short form is created by truncating the longer names, a common practice in Slavic onomastics, similar to Stana or Nastja.
History and Usage
Staša is attested in Slovene and Croatian records, though it remains relatively uncommon outside its native region. It is more likely to be encountered in Slovenia and parts of Croatia and Serbia. The pronunciation is /stáːʃa/, with a long vowel. Variants include Stana and Slava in Croatian-speaking areas, and Asja or Nastja in Slovenian contexts. The masculine form is Stanislav, from which feminine Staša borrows through another etymological path.
Notable Bearers
No well-known public figures with the name Staša are widely recorded in English sources. The name may appear in local contexts, such as in literature or among relatives of given name holders like Anastasija. In Slovene lexicography, the name is recognized and included in the official dictionary of the Slovene language.
Related Names
Sources: Wiktionary — Staša