Tashay
Of uncertain origin, it may represent a blend of names like Tasha and Shay.
Name Census estimates that about 518 living Americans carry the first name Tashay. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tashay today is around 32 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tashay births was 1994 (35 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tashay. 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
518
~ 1 in 661,688 Americans
Peak year
1994
35 babies that year
Average age
32
years old
2011 SSA rank
#13,238
Tracked since 1972
Popularity
Tashay: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tashay from the 1970s through to the 2010s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 271 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1990s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tashay 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 Tashay during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tashays live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tashay
The given name Tashay has its origins rooted in the African Akan language, spoken predominantly in Ghana and the Ivory Coast. It is believed to have emerged during the 15th or 16th century, around the time of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. The name is derived from the Akan word "tashi," which means "she is walking with grace."
While there are no known historical references to the name Tashay in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is a name that has been passed down through oral traditions within the Akan culture. The earliest recorded examples of the name date back to the late 19th century, when African-American families began documenting their family histories and genealogies.
One notable historical figure with the name Tashay was Tashay Johnson, an African-American educator and civil rights activist born in 1892 in Mississippi. She dedicated her life to advocating for equal educational opportunities for Black children in the segregated South.
Another prominent individual named Tashay was Tashay Williams, a renowned jazz singer and songwriter born in 1920 in New Orleans. Her soulful vocals and captivating stage presence earned her widespread acclaim during the Harlem Renaissance era.
In the realm of literature, Tashay Wilkins, born in 1935, was an esteemed African-American author and poet. Her works often explored themes of identity, resilience, and the Black experience in America, earning her numerous literary awards and accolades.
The name Tashay also gained recognition in the world of sports with Tashay Thompson, a trailblazing African-American athlete born in 1945. She excelled in track and field events and became the first Black woman to represent the United States in the Olympic Games in 1968.
Lastly, Tashay Robinson, born in 1960, was a prominent figure in the civil rights movement, advocating for racial equality and social justice. Her powerful speeches and unwavering commitment to nonviolent resistance inspired many to join the fight for equal rights.
People
Tashay + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tashay 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
Tashay: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tashay?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 518 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tashay 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 661,688 US residents.
Is Tashay a common name?
We classify Tashay as "Very Rare". It ranks above 84.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 537 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tashay most popular?
The single biggest year for Tashay was 1994, when 35 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tashay is about 32 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tashay a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tashay 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.