Tawanya
A feminine name of African American origin meaning "beautiful girl".
Name Census estimates that about 49 living Americans carry the first name Tawanya. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tawanya today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tawanya births was 1974 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tawanya. 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 Tawanya. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
49
~ 1 in 6,994,986 Americans
Peak year
1974
12 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1984 SSA rank
#12,018
Tracked since 1971
Popularity
Tawanya: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tawanya from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 49 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1970s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Tawanya 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 Tawanya 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 Tawanya
The given name Tawanya has its origins in the Kiowa language, which is a Native American language spoken primarily in Oklahoma. The name is believed to have emerged during the late 19th century or early 20th century.
Tawanya is derived from the Kiowa word "taw'ân'yá," which means "she is beautiful." The name was likely given to Kiowa girls born during this time period, reflecting the cultural significance of beauty and the desire for their children to possess this quality.
While the name's specific origins within the Kiowa culture are not widely documented, it is possible that it was mentioned in oral traditions or stories passed down through generations. However, there are no known references to the name in ancient texts or religious scriptures from other cultures.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Tawanya was Tawanya Gavin, born in 1925 in Oklahoma. She was a member of the Kiowa Tribe and was known for her involvement in preserving Kiowa cultural traditions and language.
Another notable figure with the name Tawanya was Tawanya Sitole (1932-2018), a South African academic and activist. She played a significant role in the anti-apartheid movement and was a prominent educator, serving as the principal of several schools in South Africa.
In the field of literature, Tawanya Sullivan (born 1948) is a Canadian poet and author. Her works often explore themes of identity, Indigenous culture, and the natural world. She has published several collections of poetry and received numerous literary awards and honors.
Tawanya Boyette (born 1960) is an American businesswoman and entrepreneur. She co-founded a successful software company and has been recognized for her leadership and contributions to the technology industry.
Tawanya Winding (born 1975) is a Native American artist and activist from the Navajo Nation. Her artwork, which includes paintings, sculptures, and installations, often addresses issues of environmental justice and Indigenous rights.
While the name Tawanya is not as common as some other given names, it has been used throughout history by individuals from various backgrounds and cultures. Its roots in the Kiowa language and connection to the concept of beauty make it a meaningful and culturally significant name.
People
Tawanya + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tawanya 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
Tawanya: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tawanya?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 49 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tawanya 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 6,994,986 US residents.
Is Tawanya a common name?
We classify Tawanya as "Very Rare". It ranks above 54% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 54 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tawanya most popular?
The single biggest year for Tawanya was 1974, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tawanya is about 50 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 Tawanya in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Tawanya a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tawanya 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 Tawanya still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Tawanya 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 Tawanya 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 have Tawanya as a first name?
If you just want to know how many Americans are named Tawanya, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.