Tanga
A feminine name of unknown origin potentially meaning "clown" or "silly".
Name Census estimates that about 336 living Americans carry the first name Tanga. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tanga today is around 59 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tanga births was 1964 (28 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tanga. 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
336
~ 1 in 1,020,102 Americans
Peak year
1964
28 babies that year
Average age
59
years old
1990 SSA rank
#12,790
Tracked since 1953
Popularity
Tanga: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tanga from the 1950s through to the 1990s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 189 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1960s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tanga 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 Tanga during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tangas live
The SSA's state-level files cover 4 states and territories. Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi recorded the most babies named Tanga, while North Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 5 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tanga
The name Tanga finds its origins in the Sanskrit language, which was prevalent in ancient India and the surrounding regions. The etymology of the name can be traced back to the Sanskrit word "tanga," meaning "wave" or "surge." This connection suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals residing near bodies of water or those involved in maritime activities.
In the early centuries of the common era, the name Tanga appeared in various Hindu texts and scriptures, such as the Mahabharata and the Puranas. These ancient texts often depicted characters with this name, although their exact roles and significance varied across different narratives.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Tanga was a renowned Indian mathematician and astronomer who lived during the 5th century CE. Known as Tanga Brahmagupta, he made significant contributions to the field of mathematics, particularly in the areas of algebra and trigonometry. His works, such as the "Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta," have had a lasting impact on the development of mathematical sciences in India and beyond.
In the realm of Indian mythology, Tanga was also the name of a celestial nymph or apsara, who was renowned for her beauty and grace. According to Hindu legends, she was one of the many divine beings who resided in the heavenly realms and entertained the gods with her dancing and singing abilities.
Moving forward in history, the name Tanga gained prominence in various regions of the Indian subcontinent. One notable figure was Tanga Raj, a influential ruler who governed a small kingdom in present-day Rajasthan during the 12th century CE. His reign was marked by significant cultural and architectural achievements, including the construction of several temples and fortifications.
Another individual of historical significance was Tanga Devi, a brave warrior queen who ruled over a small principality in central India during the 16th century CE. She is renowned for her military prowess and her successful defense of her kingdom against invading forces, earning her a place in the annals of Indian history as a formidable ruler.
In more recent times, the name Tanga has been adopted by individuals from various backgrounds and cultures, although its origins can be traced back to the ancient Sanskrit language and the rich cultural heritage of the Indian subcontinent.
People
Tanga + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tanga 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
Tanga: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tanga?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 336 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tanga 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 1,020,102 US residents.
Is Tanga a common name?
We classify Tanga as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 404 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tanga most popular?
The single biggest year for Tanga was 1964, when 28 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tanga is about 59 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tanga a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tanga 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.