Talea
A feminine name of Greek origin meaning "prosperous" or "wealthy".
Name Census estimates that about 844 living Americans carry the first name Talea. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Talea today is around 25 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Talea births was 2004 (40 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Talea. 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.
People living today
844
~ 1 in 406,107 Americans
Peak year
2004
40 babies that year
Average age
25
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,869
Tracked since 1970
Popularity
Talea: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Talea from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 281 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Talea 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 Talea during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Taleas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. California, Florida, Virginia recorded the most babies named Talea, while Virginia, Florida, California recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 10 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Talea
The name Talea originates from the Hawaiian language, where it is a variant spelling of the name Talia. The name likely emerged in the late 18th or early 19th century, during the period of increased contact between Hawaii and the Western world.
Talea is derived from the Hawaiian word tālea, which means "branch of a tree" or "offshoot." This connection to nature and growth may have influenced the name's adoption as a given name in Hawaii.
While the name Talea does not appear to have any direct references in ancient Hawaiian texts or religious scriptures, its linguistic roots tie it to the rich cultural traditions of the Hawaiian islands.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Talea was Talea Kahookano, a Hawaiian woman born in the early 19th century. She was a member of the Royal Guard of King Kamehameha III and played a role in the preservation of Hawaiian culture and traditions during a period of significant change.
In the 20th century, Talea Kaohi (1906-1991) was a notable Hawaiian educator and advocate for the preservation of the Hawaiian language. She worked tirelessly to establish Hawaiian language immersion programs and ensure the transmission of the language to future generations.
Another notable figure was Talea Ralph (1940-2022), a Hawaiian singer and musician who helped popularize traditional Hawaiian music and hula. She performed extensively throughout Hawaii and abroad, sharing the cultural heritage of the islands through her art.
In the field of literature, Talea Portlock (born 1949) is a Hawaiian author and poet whose works explore themes of identity, culture, and the experience of indigenous peoples. Her poetry collections, including "Smolder" and "Ark Hive," have received critical acclaim.
Lastly, Talea Kaluanui (born 1972) is a contemporary Hawaiian artist known for her multimedia installations and sculptures that incorporate traditional Hawaiian materials and techniques. Her work explores the intersections of indigenous traditions and modern art, celebrating the resilience and continuity of Hawaiian culture.
People
Talea + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Talea 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
Talea: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Talea?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 844 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Talea 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 406,107 US residents.
Is Talea a common name?
We classify Talea as "Very Rare". It ranks above 89% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 868 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Talea most popular?
The single biggest year for Talea was 2004, when 40 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Talea is about 25 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Talea a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Talea 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.
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.