Telesphore
A masculine name of Greek origin meaning "accomplisher of distant deeds".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Telesphore. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Telesphore today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Telesphore births was 1917 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Telesphore. 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 Telesphore. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1917
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1917 SSA rank
#4,513
Tracked since 1917
Popularity
Telesphore: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Telesphore 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 Telesphore during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Telesphore
The name Telesphore has its origins in Ancient Greek, deriving from the words "tele" meaning "far" and "phoros" meaning "bearer." Together, the name can be interpreted as "one who bears far" or "the distant bearer." This name was particularly popular in the early Christian era, particularly in regions with Greek cultural influence.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing this name was Saint Telesphorus, who served as Pope from around 125 to 136 AD. He is regarded as a martyr in the Catholic Church and is celebrated on January 5th each year. His name appears in early Church writings and records, solidifying its use among early Christian communities.
In the 3rd century, Telesphorus of Cosenza was a Christian martyr who was executed during the persecutions under the Roman Emperor Numerian. His story is recounted in the ancient martyrologies, further cementing the name's association with early Christian figures.
Moving into the medieval period, Telesphore of Antioch was a Syrian monk and ascetic who lived in the 5th century. His hagiography, or saint's life, was widely circulated in the Byzantine Empire, contributing to the name's endurance in Eastern Christian traditions.
In the 11th century, Telesphorus of Benevento was an Italian monk and theologian who played a significant role in the religious and intellectual life of his time. His writings and teachings helped to shape the theological discourse of the era.
Another notable figure was Telesphorus of Constantinople, a 14th-century Byzantine scholar and philosopher. He was instrumental in the revival of classical Greek studies during the Byzantine Renaissance, further solidifying the name's Greek heritage.
While not as common in modern times, the name Telesphore has left an indelible mark on history, largely due to its association with early Christian figures and its deep roots in Ancient Greek culture.
People
Telesphore + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Telesphore 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
Telesphore: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Telesphore?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Telesphore 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 - US residents.
Is Telesphore a common name?
We classify Telesphore as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Telesphore most popular?
The single biggest year for Telesphore was 1917, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Telesphore is about 0 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 Telesphore in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Telesphore a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Telesphore 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 Telesphore still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Telesphore 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 Telesphore 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 Americans are named Telesphore?
Find out how many people share the name Telesphore on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.