Tauni
A feminine name of Native American origin meaning "river".
Name Census estimates that about 268 living Americans carry the first name Tauni. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tauni today is around 46 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tauni births was 1992 (17 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tauni. 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
268
~ 1 in 1,278,934 Americans
Peak year
1992
17 babies that year
Average age
46
years old
2010 SSA rank
#19,570
Tracked since 1960
Popularity
Tauni: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tauni from the 1960s through to the 2010s, spanning 6 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1960s, with 98 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
Tauni 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 Tauni during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Taunis live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tauni
The name Tauni has its roots in the Polynesian languages, particularly in the Maori culture of New Zealand. It is believed to have originated during the early settlement of the Maori people in the region, dating back to the 13th century. The name is derived from the Maori word "tau," which means "year" or "season," and "ni," which can be translated as "of."
In the traditional Maori context, Tauni was often given to children born during a significant event or a particular time of the year, such as the beginning of a new season or a celestial occurrence. It was a way to commemorate the timing of their birth and link them to the natural cycles of the world around them.
While the name Tauni does not appear to have any direct references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been recorded in historical accounts and genealogical records of the Maori people. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the writings of early European settlers and missionaries who documented their interactions with the Maori tribes in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who have borne the name Tauni. One such person was Tauni Puanaki, a Maori chief and leader from the Ngati Haua tribe who lived in the late 18th century. He was known for his leadership and diplomatic skills in navigating the conflicts and alliances between different Maori tribes during that time.
Another historical figure was Tauni Narev, a prominent Maori artist and carver from the Ngati Porou tribe in the early 20th century. His intricate woodcarvings and sculptures depicting traditional Maori motifs and figures were highly regarded and are now preserved in various museums and cultural institutions.
In the realm of sports, Tauni Sinclair was a renowned rugby player from New Zealand who represented the All Blacks national team in the 1960s. He was known for his exceptional skills on the field and his contributions to the sport.
The name Tauni has also been carried by individuals in other fields, such as Tauni Masi, a respected Maori scholar and academic who made significant contributions to the study and preservation of the Maori language and culture in the late 20th century.
Furthermore, Tauni Tupu was a notable Maori activist and advocate for indigenous rights in New Zealand during the latter half of the 20th century. She played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the issues faced by the Maori community and advocating for their rights and recognition.
People
Tauni + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tauni 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
Tauni: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tauni?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 268 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tauni 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 1,278,934 US residents.
Is Tauni a common name?
We classify Tauni as "Very Rare". It ranks above 77.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 296 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tauni most popular?
The single biggest year for Tauni was 1992, when 17 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tauni is about 46 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tauni a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tauni 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.