Teina
A Maori name meaning "younger sibling" or "younger child".
Name Census estimates that about 22 living Americans carry the first name Teina. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Teina today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Teina births was 1958 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Teina. 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
- • The typical person named Teina is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Teinas were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Teina. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
22
~ 1 in 15,579,743 Americans
Peak year
1958
9 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1962 SSA rank
#6,499
Tracked since 1951
Popularity
Teina: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Teina from the 1950s through to the 1960s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 24 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1950s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Teina 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 Teina 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 Teina
The name Teina originates from the Tahitian language, spoken in Tahiti and other islands of French Polynesia. It has its roots in the ancient Polynesian culture, dating back several centuries. The name is derived from the Tahitian word "tei'na," which means "younger sibling" or "little brother."
In Tahitian culture, family and kinship ties have always been of great importance. The name Teina reflects this reverence for familial bonds and the special relationship between siblings. It was a common practice to name children after their birth order or position in the family hierarchy.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Teina can be found in the oral traditions and legends of Tahitian folklore. These stories, passed down through generations, often featured characters with names like Teina, reflecting the cultural significance of the name.
Throughout history, the name Teina has been carried by several notable individuals. One of the earliest known figures was Teina Tauraa, a renowned Tahitian navigator and explorer from the 16th century. He was renowned for his exceptional skills in navigating the vast Pacific Ocean using traditional Polynesian methods.
Another notable bearer of the name was Teina Teraupiti, a Tahitian chieftain from the 18th century. He played a significant role in the political and cultural affairs of his time and was known for his leadership and diplomacy.
In the 19th century, Teina Temaru was a prominent Tahitian writer and scholar. He dedicated his life to preserving and documenting the rich cultural heritage of Tahiti, including its language, traditions, and oral histories.
Moving into the 20th century, Teina Reva was a celebrated Tahitian artist and sculptor. His works, which often depicted scenes from Polynesian mythology and daily life, gained international recognition and are now exhibited in museums around the world.
More recently, Teina Iti was a Tahitian musician and composer who lived from 1933 to 2010. He was instrumental in reviving and popularizing traditional Tahitian music, blending it with modern influences to create a unique and captivating sound.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals who have carried the name Teina throughout history, reflecting its deep cultural roots and significance in Tahitian society.
People
Teina + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Teina 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
Teina: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Teina?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 22 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Teina 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 15,579,743 US residents.
Is Teina a common name?
We classify Teina as "Very Rare". It ranks above 41.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 30 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Teina most popular?
The single biggest year for Teina was 1958, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Teina is about 68 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Teina a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Teina 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.