Tahi
A Maori name meaning "one" or "first".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Tahi. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Tahi today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tahi births was 2001 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tahi. 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 Tahi. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2001
5 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2001 SSA rank
#12,097
Tracked since 2001
Popularity
Tahi: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Tahi 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 Tahi during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Tahi
The name Tahi has its origins in the indigenous Maori language of New Zealand. It is derived from the Maori word "tahi," which means "one" or "first." The name's roots can be traced back to the ancient Polynesian settlers who arrived in New Zealand around the 13th century CE.
In the traditional Maori culture, the name Tahi was often given to firstborn children, signifying their importance and special status within the family. It was also associated with leadership, as the firstborn son was traditionally expected to take on a prominent role in the community.
While there are no records of the name appearing in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been a part of the Maori naming tradition for centuries. The earliest recorded examples of the name Tahi can be found in genealogical records and oral histories passed down through generations.
One of the most notable historical figures with the name Tahi was Tahi Wera, a prominent Maori leader and warrior who lived in the late 18th century. He played a crucial role in the intertribal conflicts of the time and was known for his bravery and strategic prowess.
Another significant figure was Tahi Anaru, a Maori chief and landowner who lived in the 19th century. He was instrumental in negotiating land deals with the British colonizers and played a pivotal role in shaping the early relationships between the Maori and European settlers.
In the 20th century, Tahi Heremaia was a renowned Maori artist and woodcarver. His intricate carvings adorned many traditional meeting houses and buildings, and he was celebrated for his efforts in preserving and promoting Maori art and culture.
Tahi Mataira was a renowned Maori academic and linguist who lived in the late 20th century. He dedicated his life to the revitalization and preservation of the Maori language and played a significant role in developing educational resources for Maori language learners.
Another notable figure was Tahi Tonga, a Maori activist and advocate for indigenous rights. He was a prominent voice in the struggle for land rights and self-determination for the Maori people, and his efforts helped raise awareness about the issues facing indigenous communities in New Zealand.
People
Tahi + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tahi 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
Tahi: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tahi?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tahi 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Tahi a common name?
We classify Tahi as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tahi most popular?
The single biggest year for Tahi was 2001, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tahi is about 25 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 Tahi in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tahi a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tahi 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 Tahi still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tahi 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 Tahi 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 have the name Tahi?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.