Taliesin
A Welsh masculine name derived from the words "tal" (brow) and "iesin" (radiant).
Name Census estimates that about 239 living Americans carry the first name Taliesin. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Taliesin today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Taliesin births was 2021 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Taliesin. 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
239
~ 1 in 1,434,119 Americans
Peak year
2021
23 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,750
Tracked since 1993
Popularity
Taliesin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Taliesin from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 74 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taliesin 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 Taliesin 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 Taliesin
The name Taliesin originates from the Welsh language and Welsh mythology. It is believed to have derived from the Welsh words "tal" meaning "brow" or "front," and "iesin" meaning "handsome" or "fair." The name can be interpreted to mean "fair brow" or "fair front."
The name is most closely associated with the legendary Welsh bard and mythological figure, Taliesin, who is believed to have lived in the 6th century AD. He is renowned as one of the earliest poets of the Welsh language and is considered a chief of bards. Taliesin's life and works are recorded in the Book of Taliesin, which is part of the medieval Welsh manuscript collection known as the Red Book of Hergest.
The earliest recorded use of the name Taliesin can be traced back to the 6th century AD, with the legendary bard himself. However, it is important to note that the historical accuracy of Taliesin's existence and the details surrounding his life are subject to scholarly debate.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Taliesin. One of the most famous was Taliesin Williams (1787-1847), a Welsh poet and literary critic who played a significant role in the Welsh literary renaissance of the 19th century. Another notable figure was Taliesin ab Iwerydd (fl. c. 550), a Welsh poet and historical figure who is mentioned in the Book of Taliesin.
In the realm of arts and culture, Taliesin was the name given to the personal residence and studio of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Wright chose the name in honor of the legendary Welsh bard, reflecting his admiration for the figure's creativity and connection to nature.
Other notable individuals named Taliesin include Taliesin Jaffe (born 1974), an American voice actor and writer, and Taliesin Thomas (1949-1977), a Welsh singer-songwriter and guitarist.
Overall, the name Taliesin holds a rich cultural and historical significance, deeply rooted in Welsh mythology and literature, and has been borne by numerous influential figures across various fields throughout the centuries.
People
Taliesin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Taliesin 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
Taliesin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Taliesin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 239 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Taliesin 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 1,434,119 US residents.
Is Taliesin a common name?
We classify Taliesin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 76.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 242 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Taliesin most popular?
The single biggest year for Taliesin was 2021, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Taliesin is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Taliesin a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Taliesin 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.
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.