Tedra
A feminine variant of Theodora, a Greek name meaning "gift of God."
Name Census estimates that about 730 living Americans carry the first name Tedra. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Tedra today is around 48 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tedra births was 1972 (96 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tedra. 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
730
~ 1 in 469,526 Americans
Peak year
1972
96 babies that year
Average age
48
years old
2006 SSA rank
#19,801
Tracked since 1939
Popularity
Tedra: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tedra from the 1930s through to the 2000s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 341 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
Tedra 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 Tedra during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Tedras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. Georgia, California, Michigan recorded the most babies named Tedra, while Illinois, Florida, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 18 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Tedra
The given name Tedra is a relatively uncommon moniker with uncertain origins. Some linguists suggest it may have roots in the Old Norse language, derived from the words "tedr" meaning strong or powerful, and "ra" which is a common suffix found in Norse names. However, there is no definitive evidence to support this theory.
Another possibility is that Tedra originated as a variation of the name Theodora, which has Greek roots and means "gift of God." The transition from Theodora to Tedra could have occurred through the natural evolution of language over time, with the name being shortened and modified across different cultures and regions.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Tedra are somewhat scarce. One notable mention comes from the 12th century, where a Tedra is listed as a nun in a convent in the Rhineland region of Germany. However, it is unclear if this was her given name or a nickname.
In the 16th century, there are records of a Tedra Hawkins, a woman from England who was accused of witchcraft during the period of the European witch trials. While the charges were ultimately dismissed, her name has been preserved in historical accounts of the era.
Fast forward to the 19th century, and we find Tedra Millington, an American author and journalist born in 1832 in Pennsylvania. She wrote several novels and articles exploring themes of women's rights and social justice, making her a notable figure in the early feminist movement.
In the world of music, Tedra Wilson was an American jazz pianist and composer born in 1914 in Texas. She performed with renowned artists such as Billie Holiday and Dizzy Gillespie and was celebrated for her innovative style and contributions to the jazz genre.
Finally, in the realm of sports, Tedra Barnes was a Canadian track and field athlete born in 1967. She specialized in the heptathlon and represented Canada at multiple Olympic Games, winning a silver medal in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.
While the name Tedra remains relatively uncommon, these historical figures have left their mark and contributed to the rich tapestry of human history, each in their own unique way.
People
Tedra + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tedra 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
Tedra: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tedra?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 730 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tedra 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 469,526 US residents.
Is Tedra a common name?
We classify Tedra as "Very Rare". It ranks above 87.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 822 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tedra most popular?
The single biggest year for Tedra was 1972, when 96 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tedra is about 48 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tedra a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Tedra 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.