Teig
A Celtic masculine name derived from Gaelic meaning "poet" or "philosopher".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Teig. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Teig today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Teig births was 2003 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Teig. 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 Teig. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2003
6 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2012 SSA rank
#12,122
Tracked since 2003
Popularity
Teig: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Teig from the 2000s through to the 2010s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 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
Teig 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 Teig 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 Teig
The name Teig originates from the Irish language and has been in use since the Middle Ages. It is a diminutive form of the name Tadhg, which is derived from the Old Irish word "tadg," meaning "poet" or "philosopher."
Teig was a popular name among the ancient Irish Celtic clans, particularly in regions like Munster and Connacht. Its earliest recorded use can be traced back to medieval Irish manuscripts and annals, where it appeared as a personal name for both men and women.
In ancient Irish mythology, Teig was the name of several prominent figures, including Teig Óg Ó Súilleabháin, a 16th-century Irish poet and historian. Another notable bearer of the name was Teig MacCarthy, a 15th-century Irish lord and chieftain of the MacCarthy clan.
During the Middle Ages, Teig was a common name among Irish nobility and literary figures. One such individual was Teig Dall Ó Huiginn, a 16th-century Irish poet and historian who was known for his extensive works on Irish genealogy and history.
In later centuries, the name Teig continued to be used among Irish families, although its popularity waned with the Anglicization of Irish names. One notable bearer of the name in modern times was Teig O'Brien (1844-1923), an Irish-born Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the seventh Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba.
Other historical figures who bore the name Teig include Teig O'Rourke (1615-1667), an Irish Franciscan friar and author, and Teig O'Neachtain (fl. 1650), an Irish scribe and manuscript copyist known for his work in preserving ancient Irish texts.
Throughout its long history, the name Teig has been a reflection of Irish culture, language, and literary traditions. While its usage may have declined in recent times, it remains a unique and significant name with deep roots in the rich heritage of the Emerald Isle.
People
Teig + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Teig 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
Teig: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Teig?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Teig 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Teig a common name?
We classify Teig as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Teig most popular?
The single biggest year for Teig was 2003, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Teig is about 18 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 Teig in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Teig a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Teig 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.
Is Teig still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Teig 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 Teig 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 Teig as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Teig on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.