Taneisha
A feminine name of African American origin meaning "precious one".
Name Census estimates that about 1,934 living Americans carry the first name Taneisha. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Taneisha today is around 38 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Taneisha births was 1990 (113 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Taneisha. 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
1.9K
~ 1 in 177,226 Americans
Peak year
1990
113 babies that year
Average age
38
years old
2012 SSA rank
#16,648
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Taneisha: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Taneisha from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 932 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1980s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Taneisha 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 Taneisha during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Taneishas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 19 states and territories. New York, Florida, California recorded the most babies named Taneisha, while Mississippi, Tennessee, New Jersey recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 46 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Taneisha
The name Taneisha is a relatively modern invention, likely originating in the United States in the late 20th century. It is thought to be a combination of the African name Tanisha, which means "new beginning" or "rebirth," and the suffix "-eisha," which is a common ending for feminine names of African origin.
Taneisha does not have a long historical lineage or clear cultural roots. It is a name that emerged in the latter half of the 20th century, possibly as a creative blend of existing African-derived names. As such, it does not have any direct connections to ancient texts, religious scriptures, or historical records from earlier eras.
While the name Taneisha is relatively new, there are a few notable individuals who have borne this name throughout its short history. One of the earliest recorded instances is Taneisha Prioleau, an American singer and actress who was born in 1977. She is best known for her role in the television series Martin.
Another individual with the name Taneisha is Taneisha Capri, an American model and actress born in 1989. She has appeared in various television shows and music videos. Taneisha Parris, born in 1985, is a British actress and model who has worked in both film and television.
Taneisha Beckford, born in 1987, is a Jamaican track and field athlete who specializes in sprinting events. She has represented Jamaica in several international competitions, including the Olympic Games and World Championships.
Taneisha Lewis, born in 1992, is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Las Vegas Aces in the WNBA. She was a standout player during her college career at Alabama State University.
While the name Taneisha may not have a deep historical lineage, it has gained popularity in recent decades, particularly among African American communities in the United States. Its unique blend of African-inspired elements and modern flair has contributed to its appeal as a distinctive and meaningful name choice.
People
Taneisha + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Taneisha 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
Taneisha: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Taneisha?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,934 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Taneisha 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 177,226 US residents.
Is Taneisha a common name?
We classify Taneisha as "Rare". It ranks above 93.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,038 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Taneisha most popular?
The single biggest year for Taneisha was 1990, when 113 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Taneisha is about 38 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Taneisha a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Taneisha 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.