They are both beautiful and feminine but very different. So which would you pick if you had to between the two and why?
They are definitely very different, and choosing one would set a tone for naming any additional children. Since my first child had a conventional name, which limited my future choices, I am going to go out on a limb here and say [name]Ashanti[/name]! While I adore all my kiddos’ names, I’d love to be able to choose more unique, ambitious names.
[name]Pearl[/name], definitely! [name]Ashanti[/name] is pretty but it’s very associated with the singer, and it’s an uncommon enough name that it would seem like a very direct connection…like naming your child [name]Oprah[/name] or [name]Beyonce[/name]…it would be hard for the name to really be hers without it constantly being associated with the celebrity.
[name]Pearl[/name] is uncommon but more familiar as a name, it is elegant, feminine but not super frilly, just a real winner…brings to mind the delicate details on an heirloom piece of jewelry or a renaissance gown, yet is also reminiscent of the sea in all its spectacular glory. [name]Love[/name] it.
[name]Pearl[/name]! I think [name]Pearl[/name] will give you more options for naming future siblings. It’s feminine without being over the top, with a sleek vintage vibe. I agree with the above poster that [name]Ashanti[/name] is tied too much to the singer and I can’t really think of any other girl names for future siblings that will really go. [name]Ashanti[/name] is a beautiful name but a little too trendy for my taste.
This 100%! [name]Pearl[/name] is so sweet 
I’m going with [name]Pearl[/name]. [name]Ashanti[/name] has become a one person name [name]IMO[/name].
I actually like [name]Ashanti[/name]! I think the nn [name]Shani[/name] is adorable.
[name]Pearl[/name] is beautiful, I don’t like [name]Ashanti[/name] at all. [name]Pearl[/name] may be in for a revival though if that bothers you?!
[name]Pearl[/name], absolutely. It’s timeless, elegant, not associated with any particular person, and will age well.
[name]Pearl[/name] by a mile. More so than with actresses, names heavily associated with singers often seem off limits to me for some reason (unless they were very established or ubiquitous beforehand): [name]Celine[/name], [name]Cher[/name]/[name]Cheryl[/name], [name]Selena[/name], [name]Britney[/name] (this spelling of it it), [name]Rihanna[/name], [name]Loretta[/name], [name]Dolly[/name], [name]Miley[/name]…and even the more popular ones like [name]Aaliyah[/name] and [name]Mariah[/name].
I think even names like [name]Tiffany[/name], [name]Donna[/name], [name]Whitney[/name], [name]Paula[/name], [name]Christina[/name], and, increasingly, [name]Katy[/name] and [name]Taylor[/name] have suffered from their pop singer associations.
For myself or my children I would choose [name]Pearl[/name]. I just can’t imagine [name]Ashanti[/name] on a luminescent white, 1/2 german child.
[name]Pearl[/name].
[name]Ashanti[/name] would feel like I was a faker, pretending to be exotic. It’s pretty, but I think it works on a limited # of people.
I would pick [name]Ashanti[/name] only if I had some connection to Ghana. It’s lovely, but it’s the name of a people-group and a language.
[name]Pearl[/name] is definitely back in hip circles.