Tameca
A feminine name of uncertain origin, possibly derived from French.
Name Census estimates that about 639 living Americans carry the first name Tameca. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tameca today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tameca births was 1976 (78 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tameca. 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
639
~ 1 in 536,392 Americans
Peak year
1976
78 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
1994 SSA rank
#15,519
Tracked since 1969
Popularity
Tameca: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tameca from the 1960s through to the 1990s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 467 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tameca 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 Tameca during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tamecas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 16 states and territories. Illinois, Georgia, California recorded the most babies named Tameca, while South Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 11 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tameca
The name Tameca has its origins in the Akan language spoken by the Akan people of West Africa, particularly in Ghana. It is believed to have emerged in the late 16th or early 17th century during the height of the Ashanti Empire.
Tameca is derived from the Akan words "tame" meaning "gemstone" or "precious stone" and "ka" meaning "born on Saturday." The name translates to "born on Saturday, a precious gemstone." In Akan culture, names are often given based on the day of the week a child is born, with "ka" being the suffix for those born on Saturday.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Tameca can be found in historical records and oral traditions passed down through generations of Akan people. While the name does not appear in any ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been a part of Akan naming traditions for centuries.
One of the earliest known figures with the name Tameca was Tameca Akyempim, a prominent trader and adviser to the Ashanti King Osei Tutu in the late 17th century. She played a crucial role in negotiating trade agreements with European merchants and helping to establish the Ashanti Empire as a major economic and political power in the region.
Another notable figure was Tameca Ansah, a respected warrior and military strategist who served under the Ashanti King Opoku Ware I in the early 18th century. She was known for her bravery and tactical prowess in battles against rival kingdoms.
In the 19th century, Tameca Akua Mensah was a renowned herbalist and healer among the Akan people. Her knowledge of traditional medicine and remedies was widely sought after, and she passed down her wisdom to subsequent generations.
Tameca Nyarko, born in 1872, was a pioneering educator who established one of the first schools for girls in Ghana during the colonial period. She worked tirelessly to promote education and empower young women in her community.
Tameca Adjei, born in 1920, was a celebrated writer and poet whose works celebrated Akan culture and traditions. Her poems and stories were widely read and appreciated for their vivid imagery and lyrical prose.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Tameca, a name that has its roots in the rich cultural heritage of the Akan people of West Africa.
People
Tameca + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tameca 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
Tameca: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tameca?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 639 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tameca 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 536,392 US residents.
Is Tameca a common name?
We classify Tameca as "Very Rare". It ranks above 86.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 697 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tameca most popular?
The single biggest year for Tameca was 1976, when 78 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tameca is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tameca a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tameca 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.