Telley
A feminine name of unknown origin meaning "to count, to narrate".
Name Census estimates that about 42 living Americans carry the first name Telley. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Telley today is around 50 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Telley births was 1974 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Telley. 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 Telley. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
42
~ 1 in 8,160,818 Americans
Peak year
1974
14 babies that year
Average age
50
years old
1981 SSA rank
#7,177
Tracked since 1974
Popularity
Telley: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Telley from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1970s, with 40 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
Telley 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 Telley 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 Telley
The given name Telley has its origins in the ancient Etruscan civilization, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy between the 8th and 3rd centuries BC. The name is derived from the Etruscan word "telluria," meaning "earth" or "land," reflecting the deep connection this ancient culture had with the natural world.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Telley can be found in an Etruscan funerary inscription from the 5th century BC, where it is believed to have been used as a personal name. This inscription, discovered in the Etruscan necropolis of Cerveteri, provides a glimpse into the naming traditions of this enigmatic civilization.
During the Roman era, the name Telley appeared in various historical records and documents, indicating its continued use among the Etruscan population and their descendants. One notable figure bearing this name was Telley Furius, a respected Roman senator and military commander who lived in the 2nd century AD. He played a crucial role in the Roman campaigns against the Germanic tribes, earning him recognition in the writings of ancient historians such as Cassius Dio.
In the Middle Ages, the name Telley resurfaced in certain parts of Europe, particularly in regions with strong Etruscan and Roman influences. One prominent individual with this name was Telley di Firenze, an Italian Renaissance artist and architect who lived from 1415 to 1492. His contributions to the design and construction of several notable churches and palaces in Florence earned him a place in the annals of Italian art history.
The name Telley also found its way into the literature of the time, appearing in various works of fiction and poetry. One notable example is the character of Telley, a brave and noble knight featured in the epic poem "The Faerie Queene" by Edmund Spenser, published in 1590.
During the 17th century, the name Telley gained further prominence with the rise of the Dutch explorer and navigator, Telley van der Decken. Born in 1615, he led several expeditions to the East Indies and played a significant role in the expansion of Dutch colonial interests in the region.
In more recent centuries, the name Telley has been less commonly used, but it has still been borne by notable individuals. One such figure was Telley Savalas, an American actor and singer born in 1922, best known for his portrayal of the detective Theo Kojak in the popular television series of the same name.
While the name Telley may not be as widely used today as it once was, its rich history and connections to ancient cultures and civilizations make it a unique and intriguing choice. From its Etruscan roots to its appearances in literature, art, and historical records, the name Telley has left an indelible mark on the tapestry of human history.
People
Telley + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Telley 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
Telley: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Telley?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 42 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Telley 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 8,160,818 US residents.
Is Telley a common name?
We classify Telley as "Very Rare". It ranks above 51.7% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 45 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Telley most popular?
The single biggest year for Telley was 1974, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Telley is about 50 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 Telley in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Telley a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Telley 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 Telley still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Telley 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 Telley 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 are named Telley?
Find out how many people share the name Telley on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.