Nahtanha
Of Native American origin, meaning "the one who does brave deeds".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Nahtanha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Nahtanha today is around 49 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nahtanha births was 1979 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nahtanha. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nahtanha. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1979
9 babies that year
Average age
49
years old
1979 SSA rank
#7,113
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Nahtanha: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nahtanha by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Nahtanha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 9 | 9 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nahtanha
The name Nahtanha is believed to have originated from the ancient Aztec language of Nahuatl, spoken by the indigenous peoples of central Mexico. It likely dates back to the 14th or 15th century, during the height of the Aztec Empire.
One possible etymology is that Nahtanha is derived from the Nahuatl words "nah" meaning "close to" and "tanha" meaning "earth" or "land". This could suggest the name was given to someone who lived or worked closely connected to the land, perhaps a farmer or hunter.
Another theory proposes that Nahtanha comes from the combination of "nahuati" meaning "skilled" or "wise" and "anha" meaning "person". In this interpretation, Nahtanha would translate to "wise person" or "skilled individual", possibly indicating it was a title of respect bestowed upon elders or leaders.
While no definitive records exist, some historians speculate the name Nahtanha may have appeared in Aztec codices or carved inscriptions, considering its Nahuatl roots. However, the exact origin and early references remain unclear due to the destruction of many Aztec texts and records during the Spanish conquest.
The earliest known person recorded with the name Nahtanha was an Aztec warrior and chieftain who led a rebellion against the Spanish conquistadors in the early 16th century. Unfortunately, his exact dates of birth and death are unknown, but he is believed to have lived sometime around 1520-1530.
Another notable figure was Nahtanha, a revered healer and herbalist from the Nahua people of central Mexico in the late 17th century. He was renowned for his extensive knowledge of traditional medicinal plants and remedies. Approximate dates are difficult to pinpoint, but records suggest he lived between 1650-1720.
In the 19th century, there was a Nahtanha who was a prominent artist and sculptor from the Otomi indigenous community in Hidalgo, Mexico. He was known for his intricate wood carvings and stone sculptures depicting scenes from Otomi mythology and daily life. Estimated dates are around 1810-1880.
A more recent example is Nahtanha, a respected linguist and scholar who dedicated his life to preserving and revitalizing the Nahuatl language. He worked tirelessly to document and publish Nahuatl dictionaries and grammar texts, ensuring the language's survival. He lived from approximately 1920-2005.
Lastly, Nahtanha was the name of a celebrated Huichol shaman and spiritual leader from the Sierra Madre Occidental region of Mexico in the late 20th century. He was highly regarded for his deep knowledge of Huichol traditions, rituals, and sacred ceremonies. Estimated dates are around 1935-2010.
People
Nahtanha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nahtanha as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nahtanha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nahtanha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nahtanha going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Nahtanha a common name?
We classify Nahtanha as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 9 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nahtanha most popular?
The single biggest year for Nahtanha was 1979, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nahtanha is about 49 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Nahtanha in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nahtanha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nahtanha in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Nahtanha still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nahtanha in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Nahtanha can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Nahtanha?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Nahtanha, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.