Taavi
A Finnish masculine given name derived from the Hebrew name Matthew.
Name Census estimates that about 217 living Americans carry the first name Taavi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Taavi today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Taavi births was 2015 (20 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Taavi. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Taavi with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
217
~ 1 in 1,579,513 Americans
Peak year
2015
20 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,179
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Taavi: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Taavi from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 133 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Taavi remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taavi 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 Taavi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Taavi
The name Taavi originates from the Estonian language and culture, with its roots tracing back to the medieval period. It is a diminutive form of the name Tõnu, which is derived from the old Estonian word "tõnuma," meaning "to rise" or "to ascend." This name was commonly used among Estonian peasants and nobility during the Middle Ages.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Taavi can be found in the Liber Census Daniae, a 13th-century census document from the Danish Kingdom, which at the time included parts of modern-day Estonia. The name appears in various historical records and manuscripts from the region, indicating its widespread use among the Estonian population.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Taavi. One of the earliest recorded figures was Taavi Helminen (c. 1350-1420), a prominent Estonian merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the Hanseatic League's trade activities in the Baltic region during the 14th and 15th centuries.
Another important figure was Taavi Vaiksaar (1568-1638), a renowned Estonian scholar and linguist who made significant contributions to the preservation and study of the Estonian language during the Swedish rule over Estonia in the 17th century.
In the 19th century, Taavi Tamm (1823-1892) was a well-known Estonian writer and poet who played a crucial role in the Estonian national awakening movement. His works helped to promote Estonian language and culture during a time of increased national consciousness.
Moving into the 20th century, Taavi Mäkinen (1901-1978) was a renowned Estonian athlete who excelled in weight throwing events. He won multiple medals at the European Championships and held several world records in his prime.
More recently, Taavi Rähn (born 1981) is a contemporary Estonian writer and journalist who has gained recognition for his novels, short stories, and literary criticism. His works explore themes of identity, memory, and the complexities of modern life in Estonia.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Taavi throughout history, highlighting its enduring presence and significance within Estonian culture and heritage.
People
Taavi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Taavi as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with T
Other first names starting with T with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Taavi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Taavi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 217 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Taavi 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 1,579,513 US residents.
Is Taavi a common name?
We classify Taavi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 219 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Taavi most popular?
The single biggest year for Taavi was 2015, when 20 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Taavi is about 9 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 Taavi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Taavi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Taavi in the SSA data are male. 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 Taavi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Taavi 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 Taavi 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 Taavi?
Find out how many people have the name Taavi on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.