Tegh
A masculine name of Punjabi origin meaning "sword" or "saber".
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the first name Tegh. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 87.1% of registrations being male. The average person named Tegh today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Tegh births was 2022 (23 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Tegh. 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
131
~ 1 in 2,616,445 Americans
Peak year
2022
23 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2024 SSA rank
#7,182
Tracked since 2014
Gender
Gender distribution for Tegh
Tegh leans heavily male at 87.1% of total registrations, but 17 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Tegh as a male name
- Ranked #7,182 in 2024
- 12 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (16 births)
Tegh as a female name
- Ranked #17,387 in 2024
- 5 female births in 2024
- Peak: 2022 (7 births)
Popularity
Tegh: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Tegh from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 80 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
Tegh 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 Tegh during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Teghs live
Origin
Meaning and history of Tegh
The name Tegh originates from the Punjabi language, which is spoken primarily in the Indian state of Punjab and the Pakistani province of Punjab. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "teja," which means "radiance" or "brilliance." This name has a strong cultural and historical significance in the Sikh tradition.
The earliest recorded use of the name Tegh can be traced back to the 16th century, during the time of the Sikh Gurus. One of the most notable figures associated with this name is Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Sikh Guru, who lived from 1621 to 1675. He is revered for his teachings on human rights, religious freedom, and his supreme sacrifice for the protection of religious liberty.
Another prominent figure in Sikh history with the name Tegh was Baba Tegh Singh, a renowned Sikh warrior and leader who lived from 1665 to 1705. He played a crucial role in the defense of the Sikh community during the turbulent times of the Mughal Empire.
In the 18th century, Tegh Singh Bhadauria was a distinguished Sikh military commander who fought against the Afghan invaders and helped establish the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He lived from 1763 to 1844 and is remembered for his bravery and strategic prowess.
Moving forward to the 20th century, Tegh Singh Samundari was a prominent Sikh politician and social activist who lived from 1899 to 1970. He played a significant role in the Indian independence movement and advocated for the rights of marginalized communities.
Another notable figure with the name Tegh was Tegh Bahadur Nayyar, a renowned Indian historian and author who lived from 1888 to 1969. He made significant contributions to the study of Sikh history and culture through his literary works.
While the name Tegh has its roots in the Sikh tradition, it has also been adopted by people of various backgrounds and cultures, particularly in the Indian subcontinent. The name symbolizes radiance, brilliance, and strength, reflecting the core values upheld by the Sikh Gurus and their followers.
People
Tegh + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Tegh 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
Tegh: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Tegh?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 131 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Tegh 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 2,616,445 US residents.
Is Tegh a common name?
We classify Tegh as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 132 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Tegh most popular?
The single biggest year for Tegh was 2022, when 23 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Tegh is about 6 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Tegh a male name?
Yes, 87.1% of people registered as Tegh in the SSA data are male. 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.