Talona
A feminine name derived from the name Tala, possibly meaning "linden tree" or "from the valley".
Name Census estimates that about 23 living Americans carry the first name Talona. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Talona today is around 47 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Talona births was 1963 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Talona. 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 Talona. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
23
~ 1 in 14,902,363 Americans
Peak year
1963
5 babies that year
Average age
47
years old
1991 SSA rank
#15,180
Tracked since 1963
Popularity
Talona: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Talona from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 10 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1980s peak, Talona remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Talona 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 Talona 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 Talona
The name Talona is a relatively uncommon one, with its origins shrouded in mystery. It is believed to have originated from an ancient Celtic language spoken in parts of what is now modern-day Ireland and Scotland. The name may have derived from the word "talon," which refers to the sharp claws of a bird of prey, suggesting a possible connection to strength, fierceness, or the natural world.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Talona can be traced back to the 12th century, when a woman by that name was mentioned in an Irish manuscript detailing local folklore and legends. However, the context in which her name appeared is unclear, leaving much room for speculation regarding its significance.
Historically, the name Talona does not seem to have been widely documented in religious texts or major historical records. This scarcity of information contributes to the air of mystery surrounding its origins and meaning. Nevertheless, a few notable individuals have borne this name throughout the centuries.
One of the earliest recorded individuals named Talona was a 16th-century Irish poet and bard known for her intricate verse and storytelling abilities. Little is known about her life beyond her poetic works, which were passed down through oral traditions.
In the 18th century, a woman named Talona MacDonald was a prominent figure in the Scottish Highlands, renowned for her skills as a healer and midwife. Her knowledge of traditional remedies and herbs made her a respected member of her community.
A century later, in the late 19th century, Talona Emerson was an American artist whose detailed landscapes and portraits captured the rugged beauty of the American West. Her works are now part of various museum collections across the United States.
Moving into the 20th century, Talona Jameson was a British explorer and adventurer who made several expeditions to remote regions of Africa and Asia. Her accounts of her travels and encounters with indigenous cultures became widely popular during her lifetime.
More recently, Talona Reeves was a pioneering computer scientist and mathematician who made significant contributions to the field of artificial intelligence in the late 20th century. Her groundbreaking research laid the foundation for many modern advancements in machine learning and data analysis.
While the name Talona may not be as widely recognized as some others, its mysterious origins and the diverse array of notable individuals who have borne it throughout history add to its intrigue and uniqueness.
People
Talona + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Talona 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
Talona: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Talona?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 23 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Talona 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 14,902,363 US residents.
Is Talona a common name?
We classify Talona as "Very Rare". It ranks above 42.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 25 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Talona most popular?
The single biggest year for Talona was 1963, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Talona is about 47 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 Talona in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Talona a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Talona 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 Talona still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Talona 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 Talona 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 Talona as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people share the name Talona on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.