Tatanya
A feminine name of Russian origin meaning "tootsy", signifying little feet.
Name Census estimates that about 24 living Americans carry the first name Tatanya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tatanya today is around 36 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tatanya births was 1999 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tatanya. 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 Tatanya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
24
~ 1 in 14,281,431 Americans
Peak year
1999
8 babies that year
Average age
36
years old
1999 SSA rank
#11,276
Tracked since 1973
Popularity
Tatanya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tatanya from the 1970s through to the 1990s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1990s, with 15 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tatanya 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 Tatanya 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 Tatanya
The given name Tatanya has its origins in Russia, stemming from the Russian name Tatiana. This name is derived from the ancient Roman name Tatius, which was the name of a Sabine king who ruled in the 8th century BC. The name Tatius is believed to originate from the Latin word "tata," meaning "father" or "protector."
The name Tatiana gained popularity in Russia after the widespread adoption of Christianity in the 10th century AD. It was associated with the early Christian martyr, Saint Tatiana, who lived in the 3rd century AD and was known for her unwavering faith and courage in the face of persecution.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tatanya can be found in the Russian epic poem "The Lay of Igor's Campaign," written in the 12th century. The poem mentions a character named Tatyana, who represents the personification of the Russian land.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Tatanya or its variations. One of the most famous was Tatiana Romanova (1897-1918), the second daughter of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia. She was tragically executed along with her family during the Russian Revolution.
Another significant figure was Tatiana Proskouriakoff (1909-1985), a pioneering American archaeologist and expert on the ancient Maya civilization. Her groundbreaking work contributed greatly to the understanding of Maya culture and history.
In the realm of literature, Tatiana Larina is the central character in Alexander Pushkin's celebrated novel in verse, "Eugene Onegin," published in 1833. Her portrayal as a young woman of intelligence and virtue has made her an iconic figure in Russian literature.
Tatiana Troyanos (1938-1993) was a renowned American operatic mezzo-soprano of Greek descent, who graced the stages of major opera houses around the world with her exceptional talent and captivating performances.
Lastly, Tatiana Maslany (born 1985) is a Canadian actress best known for her critically acclaimed role in the science fiction series "Orphan Black," where she portrayed multiple clones with remarkable versatility, earning her numerous accolades and awards.
People
Tatanya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tatanya 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
Tatanya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tatanya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 24 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tatanya 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 14,281,431 US residents.
Is Tatanya a common name?
We classify Tatanya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 43% 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 Tatanya most popular?
The single biggest year for Tatanya was 1999, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tatanya is about 36 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 Tatanya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tatanya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tatanya 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 Tatanya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tatanya 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 Tatanya 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 are called Tatanya?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.