1955; see Rastafarian. From 1962 as a noun. Related: Rastaman.
Entries linking to rasta
Rastafarian n.
"member of the Rastafarian sect," 1955 (Rastafarite is found from 1953), from Rastafari, Jamaican religion built around writings of Marcus Garvey and the belief that Haile Selassie (1892-1975), emperor of Ethiopia, was God. From Ras Tafari, Selassie's title from 1916 to his accession in 1936, from Amharic ras "chief, head" (from Arabic ra's) + tafari "to be feared." As an adjective from 1960.