Find out how popular the first name Tawni has been for the last 37 years (from 1975 to 2011) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Tawni by gender

Based on the last 37 years of data, Tawni is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2011, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Tawni.

The history of the first name Tawni

The given name Tawni is a modern variation of the name Tawny, which is derived from the Middle English word "taun" or "tawny," meaning a brownish-yellow or light brown color. The name likely originated in England in the late medieval period, around the 14th or 15th century.

The name Tawny was initially used as a descriptive term to refer to someone with tawny-colored hair or complexion. Over time, it transitioned into a personal name, particularly popular as a feminine given name in English-speaking countries.

While the name Tawny does not have any direct historical references in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been recorded as a personal name in various historical records and documents from the 16th century onwards.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Tawny can be found in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Warwick, England, where a woman named Tawny Wilcox was listed in 1592.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Tawny or its variant spellings. Here are five examples:

1. Tawni O'Dell (born 1959), an American novelist and playwright, best known for her novel "Back Roads."
2. Tawny Piggott (1884-1976), a British aviator and one of the first female pilots in the world.
3. Tawny Kitaen (1961-2021), an American actress and model, best known for her appearances in rock music videos in the 1980s.
4. Tawny Cypress (born 1976), an American actress known for her roles in television series like "Heroes" and "Unforgettable."
5. Tawny Little (born 1989), an American model and actress who has appeared in various films and television shows.

While the name Tawny and its variant spellings like Tawni have been used throughout history, it gained particular popularity in the late 20th century, especially in English-speaking countries like the United States and the United Kingdom.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Tawni was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Tawni, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!