Since Sasha Obama’s family exited the White House in 2017, the former first daughter has managed to maintain a somewhat low profile. She doesn’t have social media accounts and hasn’t entered the high-profile entertainment industry like big sis Malia Obama. As a result, it’s not easy for the public to learn about Sasha’s life post-Washington, D.C. Still, one fact about the youngest Obama daughter has slipped through the cracks and remains a shock to some: her name.
Many people aren’t aware that Sasha’s birth name is Natasha Marian Obama. While this information isn’t often discussed, and Michelle and Barack Obama certainly haven’t spoken out about it, Sasha herself has used her birth name on multiple occasions. For instance, when she took a summer job in 2016 at Martha’s Vineyard, working at Nancy’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs, where she prepped the eatery before opening time, she went by her full birth name rather than her more well-known nickname. Even so, when podcaster and writer Ashley C. Ford, whom you might know from the X (formerly known as Twitter) handle @iSmashFizzle, disclosed Sasha’s real identity, the internet lost it.
The writer shared a quirky fact about Sasha
The same writer, Ashley C. Ford, also the author of “Somebody’s Daughter,” revealed this fact about Sasha Obama’s birth name in June 2017, setting off a chain reaction. Ford tweeted, “Today is the one year anniversary of me finding out Sasha Obama’s actual first name is Natasha.” Since this author had thousands of followers, it took a very short amount of time for the masses to flood her mentions, expressing shock and disbelief. One commenter said, “Where were you when you found out Sasha Obama’s name is really Natasha Obama? Me? Wikipedia, New York, NY, June 12, 2016.” Another wrote that learning this truth “blew my mind.”
When this situation took place, Ford was a senior features writer at Refinery29. It may be due to her job that she got rid of the tweet, but people can still see screenshots online. Even after this revelation on Twitter, Sasha’s real name would pop up again on a very important day for the most mysterious Obama.
Sasha Obama’s real name used at her college graduation
After Sasha Obama transferred from the University of Michigan, she wrapped up her college education at the University of Southern California. While attending her May 2023 graduation from USC’s Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences program, her actual first name, Natasha, was announced during the ceremony.
Today, Sasha Obama remains an enigma. Despite her public persona and the names she’s been known by, we’re left wondering what her friends and family call her in those everyday moments outside of the spotlight. This mystery adds to her allure and keeps us intrigued about her life beyond the public eye.
Could Sasha Obama be considering a name change in her future career, following in her big sister’s footsteps? We saw this when Malia Ann, her big sister, debuted her short movie, “The Heart,” at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. As of now, Sasha hasn’t made any claims about what name she prefers to go by, but it’s a possibility that keeps us intrigued about her future choices.
